St John’s Trace students worried as collapsed bridge cuts them off from school

WITH the new school term set to open in just over one week, residents marooned at St John’s Branch Trace, Fyzabad, by a collapsed bridge, are concerned about the ability of their children to go to school come September 2.

Siparia Mayor Doodnath Mayrhoo says no effort has been made by either Minister of Works Rohan Sinanan or Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi to establish a temporary bailey bridge to ease the suffering of the people trapped on one side of the bridge since its collapse on July 10.

Neither of the ministers could be reached for a response.

In an interview with the Newsday on August 22, Mayrhoo said the Siparia Borough simply did not have the funds to replace the bridge which Al-Rawi said was estimated to cost some $6 million.

“The borough receives an annual funding under the drainage and irrigation programme of $5 million. Al-Rawi said that bridge would cost $6 million. We do not have money to even build the foundation for that bridge.

“We did not cater for it in our draft estimates for 2023/2024. If we have to build, it would have to be done with our budgetary allocation for 2024/2025.”

He said that was not a feasible option as other projects catered for would have to be pushed back. Additionally, he said the time it would take for the borough to undertake such a project would leave the 40 family members from some seven households across the bridge, in continued isolation.

Mayrhoo said Sinanan’s suggestion that Government could not do anything because the land was privately owned, “is bull talk.”

He said that bridge was constructed almost 100 years ago by an oil company.

“That road was traversed by the oil company to transport equipment and to bring out oil.

“The only solution is to build a bailey bridge.”

Since the bridge collapsed, one of the residents has offered the use of a dingy to transport his neighbours across the river, at their own risk.

Mayrhoo said residents had to leave their vehicles parked at home, and seek alternative transportation to and from their destinations.

Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe shared Mayrhoo’s concern and called on the authorities to correct the situation before it became disastrous with residents crossing in a small boat in the midst of the rainy season and rising flood waters.

He said up until earlier this week, there was only partial clearance of the debris.

Bodoe said some residents had abandoned their homes and others were incurring additional cost to rent cars as 11 vehicles were trapped across the river.