JOWAI, Jan 19: Continuing the discussion on the breakdown of bridges in different parts of the state, the Meghalaya Trucks Owners and Suppliers Association (MTOSA) has blamed the BSF for the damages of the Umpaso bridge at Sunapur, in East Jaintia Hills district, demanding the removal of their check post on the bridge.
According to the MTOSA, the BSF check post which has been set up around 4 to 5 years after the construction of the bridge is the major reason why it is dilapidated currently. Pointing out that the bridge cannot bear weight of over three loaded trucks at a time, the bus association remarked that several vehicles, each weighing more than 40 tonne stand in queues over this bridge due to BSF checking, leading eventually to its present state.
“We demand the District Administration to immediately relocate the check post from the place,” MTOSA president, Balen Thubru, said.
In addition, the MTOSA also expressed its concern over the transportation problems that the association members are facing due to cracked bridges in the state including Dwar-Ksuid in Ri-Bhoi and Umpaso bridge in East Jaintia Hills.
“Due to the damaged bridges, we are badly affected as we are transporters”, Thubru said.
The MTOSA also called upon the government to take up the issue of damaged bridges seriously so that it does not affect the livelihood of the suppliers, transporters, truck owners and commuters.