State govt urged to complete long abandoned half done bridge in Dmp

Clockwise from top: (1) View of the bamboo-wire bridge from the half done bridge; (2) a completed deck segment; (3) eastern side of the bridge; (4) concrete corrosion on one of the exposed foundation piles; (5) view of the north-end of the bridge and the deck built through crowd-sourcing.

Governmental apathy had compelled a GBs forum to crowd-source fund 

Morung Express News
Dimapur | October 22

There was the famous case of an IAS officer leading villagers to build a road in Manipur’s Tamenglong district without funding from the government. In Nagaland, a similar initiative, though smaller in scale and minus the involvement of any bureaucrat, has gone unnoticed to the larger public eye. 

A bridge over the Dhansiri River in Dimapur had lain half done and abandoned for over 10 years. Repeated pleas made to the authorities in concern fell on deaf ears compelling the public of the area to take it upon themselves to crowd-source fund to resume construction of the bridge in 2017. 

The bridge, about 15 minutes drive from Zion Hospital & Research Centre, when complete will serve as a crucial lifeline for several villages in Kuhuboto Block and opening a shorter route to the Ralan area in Wokha district and beyond by skirting Assam.  

Known as Shozukhu-Zukihe bridge, it was a project funded by the North Eastern Council, construction of which started in 2005 with a 24-month completion deadline. Half way through the project, work on the 2-lane RCC Beam Bridge spanning around 300 feet in length and 40 feet in breadth was stalled for reasons unknown. 

According to the Khaghaboto Area GBs Association (KTKK), not less than 38 Sumi villages of the Aghanaqa area fall beyond the north bank of the river area. These villages and many others remain unconnected by an all-weather bridge to Dimapur. Some 18 Sumi villages of the Kaghaboto area and several others fall in the south bank of the river.  
The KTKK initiated the resumption of construction of the bridge in 2017. 

At present, a bamboo-deck bridge supported by wires serves as the alternative, over which small cars and two-wheelers take chances. 

The KTKK told the media today at the site that as per the information available, dispute between the construction firm PABSCON and the government implementing agency PWD (Roads & Bridges) over alleged disparity in work quality and fund released put a premature stop to the bridge construction. 

Work halted and years passed without any activity despite efforts to bring it to the state government’s attention. It issued two press statements in April and May 2017 with the latter stating, “As stated by the association in the press statement of April 18, 2017 that it will resort to its own course of action for completion of the bridge in the event of failure by parties (construction firm and PWD) concerned, the KTKK, with the support of the public, has resolved to immediately initiate the resumption of construction works with its own resources” while urging the PWD to cooperate in the endeavour.

Thereafter, the association took it upon itself to raise funds to attempt completion of the bridge.  Some Rs 80-90 lakhs was crowd-sourced with which the association hired technical expertise to lay a deck on the north bank. One more deck is required to fill the gap. 

Fast-forward to 2019, there was news of the construction firm and the PWD resolving the alleged dispute and coming to terms. 

“Yesterday (October 21), engineers of the PWD (R&B) inspected the bridge. Wear and tear was observed on the foundation piles supporting a pier,” said one of the KTKK members. 

It turned out that a recent surge in the river current eroded the sand covering the foundation piles near the south bank on the Shozukhu side. It exposed tell tale signs of eroding concrete.

“The department engineers said that the bridge requires expert assessment. We demand that the government should bring the experts immediately,” the KTKK appealed. 

The Kaghaboto Area Students Union and the head GB of Shozukhu village underscored the importance of the bridge and urged the government to take note of the demand.