The missing link: Villagers cut off from Tank city amid heavy rain

Businessmen, students inconvenienced by rainwater on Shah Alam Bridge.

DI KHAN: At least 16 villages in Tank district were cut off from the main city after Shah Alam Bridge was submerged in water following a heavy downpour which lashed the region.

Situated about 10 kilometres east of Tank city, the wooden structure is completely off limits for traffic. Failure to take prompt action in this regard has drawn the ire of residents as a large number of students and businessmen have been inconvenienced.

“Students are having their matric exams,” Majid Khan, an elder from Kot Kalay village told The Express Tribune. “They have to travel to the city to take their exams. Since it has become difficult for vehicles to pass through the bridge, students have been forced to travel on foot. Some of them have even missed their exams.”

A cycle of neglect?

The bridge was built in the early 20th century and connects several villages to Tank city. However, this isn’t the first time the link between the city and the villages has been severed. On August 9, 2010, parts of the bridge were destroyed in the floods.

“This has become a recurring problem,” said Majid Khan. “We have repeatedly asked government officials to repair it and even organised protests to have our voices heard. But our complaints have fallen on deaf ears.”

During the Awami National Party-led government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Rs40 million had been allocated to repair the bridge. However, the money was never released.

“The provincial government has not released funds for repair and reconstruction work,” said Umer Farooq Miankhel, a contractor who is working on the project. “As a result, we have halted construction work.”

Makeshift arrangement

Until the government releases funds for the project, residents have taken matters into their own hands and constructed a makeshift bridge made of wood. However, the structure is not sturdy enough and is frequently washed away by heavy rain.

Nevertheless, residents have found another way to ensure this provisional link to Tank city is not broken. “A villager is appointed to charge Rs10 to every vehicle which passes through the road,” says Habibullah, a local. “The money is used to repair the bridge if it is damaged by heavy rainfall.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2015.