Bamboo used in Kurigram railway tracks

Bamboo, instead of iron, has been used in the railway tracks in at least three sections of a railway bridge in Kurigram. This is a high-risk factor for the train commuters.

The bamboo sticks were clearly visible along the 50-metre bridge, located near the Ulipur Panchpeer railway station in Kurigram.

Most of the sleepers along the 43 kilometre stretch of the Kurigram railway line were damaged. Even logs of wood were used in some places.

A train driver said, “Some 57 kilometres of railway line, from the Teesta station of Lalmonirhat to Chilmari's Ramna, via Kurigram, are very risky. It is very risky and the danger worsens in the monsoons.”

Ariful Islam, divisional engineer of Lalmonirhat railway said, “There is no problem in using branches in railway tracks and bamboos in railway bridges. We mainly use iron bars in major bridges to prevent displacement of sleepers.”

“But the railway bridge from Teesta to Kurigram is a minor one so we have used bamboos instead of iron bars,” he added.

The engineer also said that they had used bamboos in railway lines locally as they could not procure the required materials.

Source: Prothom Alo