Ramshackle Wazirabad Yamuna
bridge ̶ a disaster in waiting
By Mukesh Sharma
NEW
DELHI: The Wazirabad Yamuna Bridge in North-East Delhi which is over 70
years old, is the only bridge connecting North-East Delhi, and besides local
traffic all the vehicles from Loni, Ghaziabad use this bridge to enter inner
parts of Delhi, and today it stands in dilapidated condition. However,
thousands of vehicles crawls through this neglected bridge daily, and perhaps
the authorities are waiting for some disaster to happen.
Nearly three months ago, the bridge was
closed for busses and trucks to ‘repair’ the so called cycle track, nearly 8
ft. wide abutting the bridge. In fact, it was just a footpath and meant for
pedestrians. The vested interests changed the nomenclature and renamed it ‘cycle
track’. The restoration work is yet to be completed. The shoddy manner the
work is being done rises doubts in the mind of the commoner that the contractor
and officials concerned have made a fortune. It is open secret that based on
public complaints and notings of the top officials, the tender for restoration
work is floated; it is awarded to the ‘right’ contractor; work is completed;
the calculated and well bargained cut reaches the share holders and the file is
wrapped up with hip hip hurray . . . and
three cheers.
Waterlogged Yamuna Bridge
On last Friday, the heavy rain led to
water logging on the bridge. The vehicles were wading through knee deep water.
The drain pipe put up by the contractor were chocked with dirt and mortar.
Nobody bothered to open it. Moreover, the road over the bridge is full of
potholes. The vehicular movement of this rugged bridge is so slow that a long
line of bumper to bumper traffic jam can be witnessed from both sides of the
bridge round the clock. Hats off to
Delhi Police cops who try to regulate the traffic but in vain. In fact, the
authorities concerned should have first mended the road over the bridge for the
smooth flow of traffic. But who cares! Enjoying fat salaries with no
accountability, the officials who act like demi-gods, take little interest in public
work on ground zero except in file.
Interestingly enough, all the drivers of
passing vehicles while moving like a bullock-cart do look at the much-touted
Signature Bridge just 100 meters away. The people do dream of the auspicious
day when the bridge would be completed and thrown open to public and the people
would get rid of this daily tussle of traffic jam. But the next moment, they
curse the netas. . . and get going.
The signature bridge was conceived by the
respected netas about 14 years ago
with a budget of just Rs 700 crores. The work dragged on for years for one or
other reasons. The budget continued to be enhanced years after years for the
reasons best known to netas only. And
now it is said to have crossed a
whooping sum for Rs 1500 crores, and still it is under construction. To raise
the hope of people, every year ‘netas’
give a deadline for its completion, but it turns out to be as hollow as their
election promises.
Fearing the worst, disgruntle people
content that the authorities would wake up after some untoward incident. God
forbids, if this Wazirabad bridge collapses, the netas would visit in hordes;
inquiry would be instituted; next of kins would be given some solatium; some
overactive NGOs would stage candle light protests and some enthusiasts would
raise a memorial and lit the candle every year on the day of disaster. But no
lesson would be learnt. In all the cases, as usual, it is people who have to
pay the price, and remain at receiving end.
#DTTDC #Delhi #Government #Signaturebridge #Yamuna #Waziabad #AAP#BJP #congress #timescityreporter
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