Jamshedpur, Nov. 19: Concerned over increasing incidents of suicide by jumping from bridges connecting the city, the district administration has decided to provide safety measures on either side of the road-bridges with safety-nets with a view to curb the menace. The two Mango bridges connecting city with Mango dubbed as “suicide points” will get nets to foil attempts of ending life at least from the bridge by next month.
The two notified area committees namely Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC), which looks after civic needs in non-Tata Steel areas in Jamshedpur, and Mango Notified Area Committee (MNAC), which caters to Mango region of the city, have decided to share the Rs 50 lakh-project involving installation of iron net that will provide a shield to prevent the suicide attempts.
As per the plans, MNAC will be installing the safety iron net on the lower portion of the old Mango bridge, while JNAC will be installing the same on the other end of the new Mango bridge.
JNAC special officer Dipak Sahay said that tender process for installation of iron safety nets on the new bridge has been completed and they have even issued work orders to a private agency. Currently they are waiting for completion of process from their Mango counterparts. Meanwhile, MNAC special officer Jagadish Yadav said that the tender process has been completed at their end too and work order will be issued by this week for installation of iron mesh at a cost of nearly Rs 25 lakh from the lower side of the old bridge.
It may be noted that city based suicide prevention centre Jeevan had also raised a demand to ensure proper safety at two new bridges that are coming up in the form of toll bridge which is coming on River Kharkai connecting Adityapur with Kadma and another bridge coming up adjacent to it.
In order to curb the menace of suicides attempts from the Jay Prakash Narayan Setu in Mango and Kharkai Bridge in Adityapur, Jeevan is taking initiatives to provide security at the busiest bridges connecting the city.
Officials of Jeevan have decided take up the issue with the Deputy Commissioners of East Singhbum and Kharsawan-Seraikela districts and demand immediate action ensuring safety at bridges.
“Within a span of a year, ten cases of suicides have been reported near Mango bridge. Though the figures are not alarming, bridges at Mango and Adityapur might turn into suicide points if immediate steps are not taken,” said an official of Jeevan.
“We are also demanding proper safety at the two new bridges that are under construction in the city. Safety should be first priority. If number of bridges will increase the risk of people jumping from it will also increase so proper care needs to be taken,” noted the official.