Alipurduar, Dec. 2: Traders, along with bus and truck owners, enforced a 12-hour strike in Birpara today to demand an alternative arrangement over the Dimdima river while a Bailey bridge on NH31 was being repaired.

In the absence of the arrangement, heavy vehicles have to traverse at least 30km extra to reach Dhupguri via Falakata instead of passing through Gairkata. Smaller vehicles like ambulance and cars have to ply 20km more via Jateswar.

The Bailey bridge over the Dimdima river connects Birpara, 65km from here, to Dhupguri on the other side. The worst sufferers are probably the patients at Birpara Hospital, who are often referred to Jalpaiguri and Siliguri.

Some buses and trucks are also plying on the dried-up riverbed, posing threat to life and the good that they carry. The vehicles do a balancing act while moving over the uneven surface. Traffic from Birpara to Banarhat and Malbazar has stopped because of the absence of alternative routes.

The PWD, which started working on the Bailey bridge on November 26, said it would take almost a month to complete the repair.

Volu Mitra, the secretary of Maxi-Taxi Owners’ Association in Birpara, said: “We don’t know much about the work on the bridge except for the fact that it is affecting the people. Our vehicles have stopped going to Malbazar, Banarhat and Binnaguri. Students and office goers cannot reach their destinations on time. We called the 12 hour strike and traders have also supported us.”

The executive engineer of the PWD in Gairkata had called the protesters to a meeting this afternoon.

“He told us to meet him near the Bailey bridge tomorrow morning. He will inspect the spot to find out if any alternative arrangements can be made and work out the expenses likely to be incurred. He will then forward the plan to his seniors,” said Mitra.