Annpurna Chauras Bridge Gp
1
Y C M K Y C M K 8 Dehradun, 27 March, 2012 Uttarakhand Bridge of Hope Collapses: Tragedy of Chauras By ANNPURNA NAUTIYAL I t may sound weird, but the collapse of the Chauras bridge has shattered the dreams and hopes of one and all who live in the small Alaknanda valley of Srinagar Garhwal. It was not an ordinary bridge which aimed to link Chauras, located on the right bank of River Alaknanda, to Srinagar, it was also linked to the future of thousands of students, teachers and people of Srinagar and Chauras, both. The dreams of developing HNB Garhwal University’s Chauras Campus as a centre of higher education and excellence are now deeply shattered by the collapse of this linking bridge in the wee hours. The death of at least six labourers working day and night to bring the people’s hopes and dreams alive lost their life in the unfortunate tragedy. This has increased the problems for the local villagers, students and faculty and their families of the University immensely, because the other approach roads are totally inaccessible because of the ongoing construction of the Srinagar Dam, as these have been rendered into bumpy, muddy and virtually nonexistent roads. Travelling on these roads can be risky and ensure the onset of spinal and back problems. This bridge was a sign of hope and everyone was longing for the last so many years for its completion. Every morning hundreds of students trudge the distance to Chauras campus over a hanging bridge which is the only source of connectivity for the two campuses of the HNB Garhwal University. Their passage over this bridge is also full of risk as this is a very narrow bridge constructed to provide a foot link to the nearby villages located across the bridge, but since the University undertook its expansion plans at Chauras, this bridge emerged as the only source for pedestrians and even for the people riding two wheelers. The Chauras bridge became a virtual necessity for the University to realise its expansion plans, but its collapse during the last phase of its construction has put a break on future plans. Surprisingly, this was only a small bridge with a span of 190 metres, but had taken more than eight years to reach the final stage and, ironically, before its completion it has collapsed. Uttarakhand was created to fulfill the dreams of development of the area and the people, but the disastrous collapse of the bridge exposes the lackadaisical approach of the government, administration and the agencies in the name of development. The apathetic attitude of the officials and politicians towards the hill areas and making development a political agenda and politicised word is also responsible for such a callous approach. The major part of money for the bridge was sanctioned during the NDA rule by the former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand in his capacity as the Union Surface Transport Minister in 2003. However, as Uttarakhand was under Congress rule during 2002 to 2007, therefore, the Congress government initially did not take much interest in its construction because of the feeling that the completion of this bridge in time would provide an edge to the BJP in the area. The politics of development between BJP and the Congress not only delayed the construction of the bridge, but on account of this, all the other processes also got delayed. The lack of monitoring, the structural and technical faults, the incompetency of the agency responsible for its construction, the lacunae in design clearly indicates the apathetic attitude and lack of control over such agencies of the government. The Chauras Bridge was also considered a dream project of BC Khanduri, the ex- Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, but when he was asked about the this bridge, he was also found disgusted with the construction agency and opined that God alone could tell when it would be completed. It is a sad story and equally depressing state of affairs for a new and young state like Uttarakhand in which the chief of the state has no control over its affairs. What could be more ironical for the people when they see the helplessness of the chief of the state? Why are good agencies not selected while giving out the contract for construction of such projects? The formality of high level inquiry after such tragedies just appears to be an eye-wash to cover the lacunae in governance. We have yet to get examples where some agencies were punished on account of the callous approach or accountability is fixed for the damage or poor quality of construction. This allows one to ponder why the developmental projects in the hill areas take so long. Is development a taboo or jinxed for the hill areas that people have to always suffer such a fate and the agencies make merry at the cost of the people? On the one hand, we have examples of the Delhi metro changing the face of travel in Delhi within a span of 10 years and providing an example of technological advancement, competence, time management and dedication, but on the other the collapse of the Chauras bridge reveals the state of development and its quality in the hills in the 11 years of its inception. The poor condition and upkeep of roads makes it more difficult for the people to traverse in the hill areas due to which no sane person would like to be posted in these areas. Though every year before 31 March, the drama of improving the condition of the roads is performed but without coordination with other agencies like water works or public works department or electricity or telecommunication department which start laying of the pipes or cables as soon as the formality of repairing the roads is completed. Such waste of resources is a crime and the agencies responsible for it need to be punished, as it is people’s money which is wasted. This can happen in India only where such agencies go unpunished for the crime of playing with the money and sometimes with the life of people, as had this bridge with faulty construction and design collapsed once it was opened for the public, the magnitude of tragedy could have been anyone’s guess. The local people had several times pointed out the poor quality of construction, delays and lax attitude of the construction company and when, during the launching of the bridge, its structure got tilted, people’s apprehension became a reality, but to cover it up the construction agency played with words and assured that it was just a technical snag that would be removed. Had the construction agency acted professionally and paid attention to eradicate its faults in time such mishaps could have been averted and the bridge could have seen the light of day. The loss of time and resources in such kind development work needs to be condemned by one and all and it is high time that the state government act fast and allow people to dream for a good future. The people of Uttarakhand at this grim and agonising moment need some divine intervention to remove the jinx from the Devbhumi of Uttarakhand and plead for Hanuman and his Vanar Sena to rebuild the Chauras bridge as they laid the mythical Ram Setu, as we have lost faith in the prevailing rotten system of governance. (Dr Annpurna Nautiyal, a Fulbright Scholar, is a Professor of Political Science, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal.)
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Bridge of Hope Collapses:
Transcript of Annpurna Chauras Bridge Gp
Y
C M
K
Y
C M
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8 Dehradun, 27 March, 2012 Uttarakhand
Bridge of Hope Collapses:Tragedy of Chauras
By ANNPURNANAUTIYAL
It may sound weird, but thecollapse of the Chauras bridge
has shattered the dreams andhopes of one and all who livein the small Alaknanda valleyof Srinagar Garhwal. It was notan ordinary bridge whichaimed to link Chauras, locatedon the right bank of RiverAlaknanda, to Srinagar, it wasalso linked to the future ofthousands of students, teachersand people of Srinagar andChauras, both. The dreams ofdeveloping HNB GarhwalUniversity’s Chauras Campusas a centre of higher educationand excellence are now deeplyshattered by the collapse of thislinking bridge in the wee hours.The death of at least sixlabourers working day andnight to bring the people’s hopesand dreams alive lost their lifein the unfortunate tragedy. Thishas increased the problems forthe local villagers, students andfaculty and their families of theUniversity immensely, becausethe other approach roads aretotally inaccessible because ofthe ongoing construction of theSrinagar Dam, as these havebeen rendered into bumpy,muddy and virtuallynonexistent roads. Travelling onthese roads can be risky andensure the onset of spinal andback problems. This bridge wasa sign of hope and everyonewas longing for the last so manyyears for its completion.
Every morning hundreds ofstudents trudge the distance toChauras campus over ahanging bridge which is the onlysource of connectivity for thetwo campuses of the HNBGarhwal University. Theirpassage over this bridge is alsofull of risk as this is a verynarrow bridge constructed toprovide a foot link to the nearbyvil lages located across the
bridge, but since the Universityundertook its expansion plansat Chauras, this bridge emergedas the only source forpedestrians and even for thepeople riding two wheelers. TheChauras bridge became avirtual necessity for theUniversity to realise itsexpansion plans, but itscollapse during the last phaseof its construction has put abreak on future plans.
Surprisingly, this was onlya small bridge with a span of190 metres, but had taken morethan eight years to reach thefinal stage and, ironically,before its completion it hascollapsed. Uttarakhand wascreated to fulfill the dreams ofdevelopment of the area andthe people, but the disastrouscollapse of the bridge exposesthe lackadaisical approach ofthe government, administrationand the agencies in the nameof development. The apatheticattitude of the officials andpoliticians towards the hil lareas and making developmenta poli t ical agenda andpoli t icised word is alsoresponsible for such a callousapproach. The major part ofmoney for the bridge wassanctioned during the NDArule by the former ChiefMinister of Uttarakhand in hiscapacity as the Union SurfaceTransport Minister in 2003.However, as Uttarakhand was
under Congress rule during2002 to 2007, therefore, theCongress government initiallydid not take much interest inits construction because of thefeeling that the completion ofthis bridge in t ime wouldprovide an edge to the BJP inthe area. The poli t ics ofdevelopment between BJP andthe Congress not only delayedthe construction of the bridge,but on account of this, all theother processes also gotdelayed. The lack ofmonitoring, the structural andtechnical faults, theincompetency of the agencyresponsible for its construction,the lacunae in design clearlyindicates the apathetic attitudeand lack of control over suchagencies of the government.
The Chauras Bridge wasalso considered a dreamproject of BC Khanduri, the ex-Chief Minister of Uttarakhand,but when he was asked aboutthe this bridge, he was alsofound disgusted with theconstruction agency andopined that God alone couldtel l when it would becompleted. It is a sad story andequally depressing state ofaffairs for a new and youngstate like Uttarakhand in whichthe chief of the state has nocontrol over its affairs. Whatcould be more ironical for thepeople when they see thehelplessness of the chief of the
state? Why are good agenciesnot selected while giving out thecontract for construction ofsuch projects? The formality ofhigh level inquiry after suchtragedies just appears to be aneye-wash to cover the lacunaein governance. We have yet toget examples where someagencies were punished onaccount of the cal lousapproach or accountability isfixed for the damage or poorquality of construction.
This allows one to ponderwhy the developmentalprojects in the hill areas takeso long. Is development ataboo or jinxed for the hill areasthat people have to alwayssuffer such a fate and theagencies make merry at thecost of the people? On the onehand, we have examples of theDelhi metro changing the faceof travel in Delhi within a spanof 10 years and providing anexample of technologicaladvancement, competence,t ime management anddedication, but on the other thecollapse of the Chauras bridgereveals the state ofdevelopment and its quality inthe hills in the 11 years of itsinception. The poor conditionand upkeep of roads makes itmore difficult for the people totraverse in the hill areas due towhich no sane person would liketo be posted in these areas.Though every year before 31
March, the drama of improvingthe condition of the roads isperformed but withoutcoordination with otheragencies like water works orpublic works department orelectricity ortelecommunication departmentwhich start laying of the pipesor cables as soon as theformality of repairing the roadsis completed. Such waste ofresources is a crime and theagencies responsible for it needto be punished, as it is people’smoney which is wasted.
This can happen in Indiaonly where such agencies gounpunished for the crime ofplaying with the money andsometimes with the life ofpeople, as had this bridge withfaulty construction and designcollapsed once it was openedfor the public, the magnitudeof tragedy could have beenanyone’s guess. The localpeople had several timespointed out the poor quality ofconstruction, delays and laxattitude of the constructioncompany and when, during thelaunching of the bridge, itsstructure got tilted, people’sapprehension became a reality,but to cover it up theconstruction agency played withwords and assured that it wasjust a technical snag that wouldbe removed. Had theconstruction agency actedprofessionally and paid attentionto eradicate its faults in timesuch mishaps could have beenaverted and the bridge couldhave seen the light of day. Theloss of time and resources insuch kind development workneeds to be condemned by oneand all and it is high time thatthe state government act fastand allow people to dream fora good future.
The people of Uttarakhandat this grim and agonisingmoment need some divineintervention to remove the jinxfrom the Devbhumi ofUttarakhand and plead forHanuman and his Vanar Senato rebuild the Chauras bridgeas they laid the mythical RamSetu, as we have lost faith inthe prevailing rotten systemof governance.
(Dr Annpurna Nautiyal, aFulbright Scholar, is a Professorof Political Science, HNBGarhwal University, Srinagar,Garhwal.)
