An ongoing fear for Fyzabad residents has now turned into a nightmare after a bridge connecting them to the rest of their community collapsed yesterday morning, cutting them off from essential services.
The bridge, which was reportedly over 100 years old, provided a critical lifeline to the villagers of St John’s Trace, including young children and ailing elderly people.
Junior Sookdeo said, “About 1.30 in the morning, I heard a hard sound, it sounded like thunder. I didn’t take it on, but the dogs started to bark. This morning about 4 o’clock, I got up to go to work and while coming down close to the bridge, I realised that it had fallen.”
Affected resident Leena Seepersad said, “I not feeling so good this morning. I was supposed to go by the doctor, but when we went by the bridge it collapsed. I am a heart patient, right now I can’t walk. I have pain all over my body. I have no idea what is going to happen to me now.”
Back in May, Guardian Media highlighted the residents’ concerns with the weakening bridge, with many fearful that it would collapse while they were crossing over it, sending them to a 15-foot fall.
They said the declining structural integrity of the bridge had placed their lives in limbo. MP for Fyzabad Dr Lackram Bodoe visited the area and accessed the marooned residents via a dinghy. He labelled the incident a disaster and called for the construction of a temporary Bailey bridge to urgently assist the affected residents.”
Siparia mayor Doodnath Mayrhoo appealed for the urgent intervention of the relevant agencies to assist the affected residents.
He said, “This has been happening for some time now, we have been making representation. The MP for Fyzabad has spoken to the Minister of Works and Transport and the Minister of Rural Development and Local Government and nothing was done. I made the point that the only way something will be done is if the bridge collapse.”
When contacted, Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi, said following communication with the CEO of the Siparia Regional Corporation, there was no correspondence indicating that the bridge needed to be repaired. He assured, however, that steps would be taken to restore the infrastructure, which once stood on private land.
He said, “I understand an oil company owns the land so I asked for a report on this. We’ve got to ensure residents have proper access facilities and we now have to locate where that responsibility lies. According to the CEO of the Siparia Corporation, this has not been on the records in the corporation.”