Sand mining poses threat to Kakatiya bridge

Nakirekal (Nalgonda): The illegal sand mining is taking its toll on the five-decade-old crucial bridge, which connects Nakirekal in Nalgonda to four districts through two important highways.

The bridge is virtually on the verge of collapse due to the official apathy in protecting it from the unlawful miners who have been excavating sand with the help of procliners in broad daylight.

The illegal sand mining is not new to Chandupatla rivulet. The sand miners have been exploiting the sand reserves for the last several decades. Now the sand mafia is eyeing the sand under the bridge. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao visited Chandupatla as part of Mission Kakatiya and stated that Chandupatla irrigation tank was constructed by Rani Rudrama Devi. However, he and other people’s representatives should take initiative to prevent illegal sand mining to protect the natural rivulet.

In spite of the threat to the bridge, the officials of the Roads and Buildings department are not responding to protect it from the sand mafia. Out of the ten pillars of the 300-metre long bridge at least seven pillars are exposed due to the illegal sand mining up to 10ft.

Officials of either the Revenue or the police or at least mining officials are not taking any action leaving the foundations of the bridge to the vagaries of nature. If any tractor or truck is seized, it could be understood that the officials did not receive their monthly ‘mamools’.

The bridge is situated on Chandupatla rivulet on the Nakirekal-Miryalaguda highway which connects Hyderabad-Vijayawada NH 65 and Narketpalli-Addanki highway. Most of the traffic from Karimnagar, Warangal, Nalgonda, Guntur districts passes through this bridge. Heavy vehicles carrying granite, cement and other material also use this bridge.

Villager Lakshmaiah said that the mafia has been transporting sand in hundreds of tractors with the help of JCBs. They are dumping sand on the side of national highway before shifting to Hyderabad. There is every danger that the bridge might collapse due to the illegal excavation of sand, he added. VRO Prabhakar Reddy said that Nakirekal executive officer Durgaprasad has been giving permission to the individuals to mine sand for personal use. However, these are being misused by the sand mafia, he added.

Circle Inspector Venkateswarlu said that action would be taken against persons who illegally transport sand in violation of the Supreme Court orders. If the sand was diverted to cities after seeking permission for personal use, strict action would be taken according to law.

It is high time the officials of departments concerned and the government took severe action to protect the bridge in the larger interest of the transport system.