LARKANA: Residents of several villages situated near Mohenjo Daro have raised serious objections over the quality of work being carried out for the repair of the Bagi Bridge over Dadu Canal.

After witnessing many failed attempts to raise structures strong enough to withstand load on the bridge, they questioned competence of the contractor concerned and standard of material being used.

The repair and strengthening work of the bridge is under way since it sustained damage due to various reasons a couple of years ago.

The villagers have been urging the authorities concerned to monitor and assess the quality of work being carried out by the contractor.

After getting no positive response, they took to the street on Sunday last and held a noisy demonstration at a section of the Mohenjo Daro Road.

They claimed that the structure’s condition had worsened, instead of getting improved during the repair and strengthening work.

Leading the protesters, Rustam Ali Bhutto, Mir Mohammad Mangrio, Gulzar Abro and Ghulam Nabi proceeded to the construction site to voice their objections.

They raised slogans against the contractor and the department concerned.

They told local reporters that the contractor had been carrying out the repair work on both sides of the bridge for a long time. “The quality of material being used and standard of the work is extremely poor,” they claimed, and pointed out that merely digging of pits and refilling them with soil was being done. They feared that this substandard work, instead of strengthening the bridge, would further damage various sections of the structure over time.

They demanded that the excavated portions should be filled properly with stones and reinforced with iron rod cages (reinforced stone-crate / gabion work) to build strong pillars.

They warned that if such substandard work continued, the water flowing in Dadu Canal would cause damage to the bridge.

They said they would not allow such a poor-quality work to continue.

They urged Larkana Deputy Commissioner Tariq Manzoor Chandio to take notice of the issue.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2026