Gohad (Madhya Pradesh): The newly built bridge over the Besli river has failed to withstand the first monsoon rain.
The road constructed on the bridge is the lifeline of the city, but it has developed big cracks.
Despite that, the vehicles are running over it. Locals told Free Press that if the cracks were not repaired and the movements of vehicles are not stopped, the bridge might cave in causing major loss to the city.
The government spent a sum of Rs 3 crore to construct the bridge between Gohad city and Gohad Square over the river.
It was ready in January this year, say officials. Last month, the pool developed cracks.
Officials of the civic department said the government approved the construction of the bridge in 2017 after the old one had gone into ruins.
The government gave nod for construction of the new bridge near the old one.
Public Works Department (PWD) had given the contract for constructing the bridge to Prince Corporation in 2018.
Former minister Umashanker Gupta, former Member of Parliament Bhagirath Prasad and former minister Lalsingh Arya performed its Bhoomipujan.
Prince Corporation started constructing the bridge from June 13, 2018 and the agency had to complete work by June next year.
Nevertheless, because of the negligence by the agency, the work of the bridge could complete in 2021.
On the other hand, the agency has used poor-quality material for building it.
Therefore, the pool began to develop cracks after five months of its construction, say officials.
Nabal Baraiya, a resident of ward number-1, says there has been negligence in regard to the construction of the pool since beginning. As a result, the pool has developed cracks, he says.
President of Vyapar Mandal Vishnu Agarwal says that traffic circulation on the bridge should immediately stop.
Since it is the rainy season, there may an accident any, he adds.
When Free Press put up the issue before subdivisional magistrate Sjubham Sharma he said that the administration had sent a letter to the bridge corporation and informed the officials of the department about the cracks.
Besides that, he informed the senior officials of the district administration about it, he said.
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