The Odious attempts Of Many Profit Making Contractors Led Overbridge at Gadapani Lying in Precarious Condition

A Correspondent

Dibrugarh, July 25: The nefarious attempts of many contractors to maximize their profits at the expense of quality often results in precarious conditions for the public. The overbridge at Gadapani, under Jamira Panchayat, is a glaring example of this.

Located close to the Dibrugarh University on NH-37, the bridge has become the poster child for avaricious and venal contractors who can put the life of a zillion people at risk in the pursuit of easy money. The overbridge was constructed so that the North-East Railways could move their trains from Banipur below it, in harmony with the Bogibeel project. And today, while the trains are zooming along without any hiccups, the bridge above it has turned into a nightmare for the passengers, with the surface coming off at many places and a couple of rods used in its construction lying bare.

Inaugurated just six years ago, the overbridge has already been repaired quite a few times, and yet, a permanent solution seems surreal. The fact that the contractors took eight years to pull off the project only goes to highlight the degree to which they were corrupt. The frequent demand of the locals for a comprehensive and fool-proof overhaul of the bridge seems to have fallen on deaf ears, for no respite from this life-threatening situation has been offered yet. True, the overbridge has been repaired a few times, but the repair works were also marked with the same level of frivolity and culpable negligence.

The present hazardous state of the bridge bears testimony to that. As per sources, pleas and demands have also been made to the Indian Railways to mend things for good, but to no avail. Nor a thorough investigation has ever been launched into the high-level of corruption associated with the construction. It is a pity to see the tax payers’ money going waste like this and it is quite unfortunate to see the authorities concerned giving a cold shoulder to such a vital issue.