Flood cuts off Bida-Agaie-Katcha-Lapai road, washes off part of Minna-Bida route

One of the bridges linking Bida to Agaie, Lapai and Lambata in Niger state has been washed away by flood occasioned by torrential rainfall, leaving travellers on that route stranded. Travellers along the ever-busy Bida-Minna road are also having difficult time as a section of the road has been washed off by the flood. Daily […]

One of the bridges linking Bida to Agaie, Lapai and Lambata in Niger state has been washed away by flood occasioned by torrential rainfall, leaving travellers on that route stranded.

Travellers along the ever-busy Bida-Minna road are also having difficult time as a section of the road has been washed off by the flood.

Daily Trust learnt that a bridge linking Bida -Agaie-Katcha-Lapai and Lambata caved in following heavy downpour on Sunday.

The incident happened few kilometres from the National Cereal Institute, Badegi denying people access to locations along that stretch of the road.

Our correspondent learnt that the affected road is one of the federal roads across the state that is in deplorable condition.

Also, part of the Minna-Bida road has been washed away following days of torrential rainfall restricting travellers to tiny portion resulting in heavy gridlock along the popular road.

The damaged portion was around Kakakpagi where water used to stagnate as the season lasted due to lack of channel through which it could flow.

Residents said there ought to be a one kilometre bridge covering the FADAMA portion and channelization to disallow water from stagnating around the area and eating up the road.

Following the two development, some commuters resort to going through Bida-Lemu in Gbako local government area to Zungeru in Wushishi local government area before connecting through Minna, the state capital.

Our correspondent reports that the state government has commenced repairs on the damaged portion of the Minna-Bida road, with directive to heavy duty vehicles to stay off it pending the completion of work.

It said the road has outlived its lifespan and needed to be totally reconstructed, even as it explained that most parts failed because of heavy-duty trucks, tankers and trailers that unabatedly ply the roads.

Daily Trust reports that the state government had seek facilities for the dualization of the 86 kilometres road from the Islamic Development Bank.

The Permanent secretary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructural Development, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Balarabe, said discussion on the matter has reached an advance stage between the bank and state government.