The bridge on six decade old Chadwa Dam is in danger. Cracks have appeared on its one pillar and the upper part of the bridge is also breaking rapidly. After appearance of cracks in the pillar the PHED department has also become serious and it has informed the district administration about the alarming situation of the bridge.
This year the district has yet not got sufficient rainfall but due to lack of maintenance the bridge has reached in such an alarming stage. For the denizens of Hazaribagh it is a bad news in another sense that if the pillar collapses then most of the water of this dam will run out and in the days to come they will have to face water crisis because it is the dam from where water is supplied to entire town.
Nowadays the Chadwa Dam is full of water so there is great pressure of water on the pillars too. On one side there is pressure of traffic because it is on Hazaribagh-Katkamsandi-Chatra Road and on other side the pressure of water, so immediate steps are necessary to be taken to save the bridge.
Chadwa Dam and the bridge on it were built in 1954-55 by Damodar Valley Corporation. later on in 60’s the district administration started supplying its water in the town. After formation of Jharkhand it was felt that a new bridge is necessary on this dam because the traffic has increased and the bridge has become very old.
In 2007 the foundation stone of new bridge just besides the old one was laid and the work was started, but unfortunately it is yet incomplete. The bridge is almost complete but the connecting roads are yet to be made. The new bridge is broader than the old one so with its start the regular jam scene on Hazaribagh-Chatra Road will certainly end.
Kaushal Kumar, a resident of Katkamsandi, who regularly visits Hazaribagh said that the cracks on the pillars have increased the wrinkles on the forehead of many villagers of his area because it is the only connecting link to Hazaribagh with their village. In the inner areas many old bridges are in bad condition and every year in this season some get collapsed but it is an important one so the state government and district administration should look into it on priority basis.