By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Scores of residents at Serrekunda London Corner and Bundungka Kunda have expressed their total frustration and disappointment to the government and the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) for neglecting two important community bridges linking London Corner to the Tippa Garage.
The bridges contribute significantly to the socio-economic wellbeing of the residents in the metropolis but they were severely affected by the heavy torrential downpours which have seriously affected the inner-city.
The residents have launched a fresh call for the rehabilitation of the bridges as the remaining one is also in deplorable condition and needs urgent attention.
According to the aggrieved residents the two wooden bridges were constructed by the former ward councilor Musa Cham to ease the movement of the residents.
“If the bridge is left unattended it may cause another disaster for the community at any moment,” they warned.
Mulai Jassey, a resident of London Corner expressed his disappointment in the sorry state of the bridge that serves both the people of his community and Bundungka Kunda, observing that if efforts are not done by the authorities’ disaster may revisit the community at any moment, especially those who use the bridge.
According to him, thousands of residents of London Corner, Bundungka Kunda, and other satellite villages used the London Corner bridges daily to have access to garages, markets, and workplaces but due to the dilapidated nature of the bridge, many residents resort to taking long routes to reach Tippa Garage.
“It was courtesy of our former Councilor Musa Cham who constructed two bridges for these communities to have access to Tippa Garage but as of now one has been destroyed and left with one. Right now, this is the only bridge left with us but it is in a very dangerous situation because it has already started breaking down,” Mama Jaiteh observed.
She added: “This Bridge connects London Corner and Bundungka Kunda to Tippa Garage but at the moment many residents have to take longer routes. There have been many visits to this site by officials of the government and KMC but still, no concrete solution has been taken to help the people of London Corner and Bundungka Kunda by fixing this road.”
Fatou Ndour also a resident expressed her disappointment in the government and the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) for their failure to fix the dilapidated bridge, noting that pregnant women, disabled, school children, housewives, elderly women, and men among others used the bridge for their daily activities.
She recalled one incident that resulted in the loss of life at the bridge sometimes back due to the then poor condition of the bridge. “I believe there is an urgent need for the government and KMC to come forth and address this concern of the people of London Corner and Bundungka Kunda who are equal taxpayers. If this bridge is left unattended it may cause harm to students, elders, disabled people, and other vulnerable people who use this bridge for their daily business.”
She added: “I think repairing this bridge every one week or three weeks is not the solution to this problem, to me removing this wooden bridge with the concrete bridge is more sustainable. It is very sad that both the government and KMC cannot fix this bridge which will cost less than D100, 000, when even the cost of their visits to these sites anytime it floods is more than what they can use to fix this bridge.”