Bridge Without Detour: Tamarhat Villagers Face Daily Peril

Sheer negligence by a national highway construction agency has sparked public outrage in Tamarhat, Dhubri district, after it demolished an existing bridge without arranging any alternative route for commuters.

The incident occurred along the under-construction 127B National Highway stretch between Srirampur and the Phulbari Bridge, a project entrusted to Jandu Infratech Pvt. Ltd. The company is building a new RCC bridge over the Gadadhar River, but reportedly tore down the old Alokjhari–Madhyapetla connecting bridge before completing the new one.

With no temporary passage in place, residents of nearby villages have been forced to cross the river using a makeshift structure made of bamboo poles and areca palm trunks — a dangerously fragile setup that puts daily commuters, students, and emergency patients at grave risk.

Local villagers say the situation has brought life to a standstill, cutting off vital connectivity between several rural pockets and nearby markets. “We are compelled to cross a life-threatening path every day just to reach schools and hospitals,” said one resident, calling the company’s approach “inhuman and irresponsible.”

The public has now demanded that an immediate temporary bridge be constructed to restore safe communication. The villagers have also alleged rampant corruption in the ongoing construction of the new RCC bridge, claiming that substandard materials and poor-quality work are being used.

Citizens have urged the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) to urgently intervene, investigate the alleged irregularities, and hold the contractor accountable before further damage — or tragedy — occurs.

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