Vehicular movement through Keane Bridge has been stopped. This initiative has been taken to maintain the safety and the traditional bridge of Sylhet, said Sylhet Roads and Highways Department, which is in charge of the bridge.
Amir Hossain, executive engineer of Sylhet Roads and Highways Department, said that the bridge was opened on December 21 after four months of renovation work. However, it is not possible to repair the underwater pillars of the bridge. So currently it is being used as a pedestrian bridge. He said that this decision has been taken as accidents may occur if heavy vehicles pass through the more than a century old bridge in Sylhet.
According to the department sources, Sylhet City Corporation and the department jointly renovated the bridge in September 2019. At that time vehicular traffic was stopped to convert the bridge into a pedestrian bridge. Later, after 52 days, the bridge was reopened for traffic due to the demands of the residents of the south side of the bridge. Then in 2021, when the bridge again became dangerous for traffic, it was closed for heavy traffic in July of that year.
Only rickshaws, vans, motorcycles were kept open for movement. Later, a coordination meeting of various development projects was held at the Divisional Commissioner's office in 2020 to renovate the bridge. There, the divisional commissioner appointed a committee of three members to take necessary measures regarding the renovation of the bridge.
Subsequently, Roads and Highways Department applied to the Ministry for allocation of funds for the renovation of the bridge. Then, in February 2021, 2 crore 15 lakh taka was allotted to Sauz Sylhet division. In June of that year, the allocation was transferred to the railway bridge department. After overcoming various complications, after more than two years of allocation of funds, the railway department started the renovation work of this bridge from August 17 this year.
Incidentally, Keane Bridge was built during the British period. After two years of construction, the bridge was opened for traffic in 1936. The bridge was named Keane Bridge after the then Governor of Assam Province, Michael Keane. This iron bridge is 1,150 feet long and 18 feet wide.
ARS
