Socioeconomic and environmental impacts of bridge construction: evidence from the Khan Jahan Ali Bridge, Khulna, Bangladesh

Abstract

PurposeKhan Jahan Ali (KJA) Bridge was constructed to promote industrial and commercial activity and improve economic and employment activity for local people. This study assessed the post-socioeconomic and environmental impacts of KJA Bridge on the inhabitants living adjacent to 2 Km from the bridge. As there is a slum adjacent to the bridge, the bridge has impacted much on the improvement of the social economic condition and lifestyle of the slum people.Design/methodology/approachThe study approached a questionnaire-based field survey data collection through interviewing the people in the surrounding areas. To assess the environmental impacts, land cover change (LCC), carbon emissions and land surface temperature (LST) data were derived from Landsat images and processed in geospatial environment.FindingsThe study suggests that after bridge construction, 84% people have new jobs and about 87% people's income level has been increased. As a tourist spot, the bridge served employment opportunities for the 12% of the inhabitants. About 83% house structures have been improved, where the percentages of pucca and semi-pucca houses increased by 11% and 23%, respectively. The frequency of school-going children and literacy rate also increased. Despite all the socioeconomic development, 7.48% agricultural, 9.75% vegetation, 1.74% waterbodies were declined. Net carbon emissions increased to 13,432.39 tons from 3,323.46 tons; average LST increased from 25.750 to 32.550°C after the bridge construction.Originality/valueThis study focused on descriptive statistical analysis and portrayed the impact of the bridge on social, economic and environment from a micro point of view.

An assessment of the potential environmental effects of bridge construction in Boga, Patuakhali, Bangladesh

“…Prior investigations carried out by Islam et al and Hasan et al during the beginning planning stage of this project also confirmed all these detrimental effects [ 1 , 8 ]. Additionally, the results of this study are consistent with recent EIA studies performed on the Khan Jahan Ali Bridge [ 4 ], Padma Multipurpose Bridge [ 5 ], Mymensingh Kewatkhali Bridge over the Old Brahmaputra River [ 49 ], Galachipa Bridge [ 7 ], Payra Bridge [ 14 ], Kashil Bridge over the Jhinai River at Tangail [ 58 ]. Furthermore, a recent study discovered that the Dharla Bridge's construction had several impacts on the hydrological and morphological features of the Dharla River [ 57 ].…”

“…All the development activities like bridge construction must have some potentially negative impacts on the surrounding environmental components though they are built to benefit humankind by making the communication system faster and easily assessable [ 3 , 4 , 15 , 37 , 41 , 57 ]. According to this study, the proposed Boga Bridge will have several negative impacts on the surrounding environment such as loss of agricultural land and production, loss of aquatic habitat, extinction of endangered species, degradation of water, air, and soil quality, a decline of ecosystem health, loss of flora & fauna diversity, change in river flow, and sedimentation, etc.…”

“…These positive effects are consistent with those discovered during the project's initial planning stage by Islam et al [ 1 ] and Hasan et al [ 8 ]. Likewise, this study, EIA studies conducted on different bridge construction projects in Bangladesh such as Khan Jahan Ali Bridge [ 4 ], Padma Multipurpose Bridge [ 3 ], Mymensingh Kewatkhali Bridge over the Old Brahmaputra River [ 49 ], Galachipa Bridge [ 7 ], Payra Bridge [ 14 ], and Kashil Bridge over the Jhinai River at Tangail [ 15 ] also documented some positive effect on the economic condition, industrialization, employment and community up gradation and social status and people's lifestyle.…”

“…The coastal rural highway network in Bangladesh is crucial for enhancing the health, education, and livelihoods of roughly 66% of the country's population living in the coastal area because economic development and social cohesion greatly depend on communication facilities [ 1 , 2 ]. Since the completion of the Padma and Payra bridges, the economic empowerment and communication infrastructure of the coastal region have changed [ [3] , [4] , [5] , [6] ]. But the people of Bauphal, Dashmina, and Galachipa upazilas are not getting the actual benefit of Padma and Payra bridges as they till now have to rely on the ferry system for crossing the Lohalia River [ 1 , 7 , 8 ].…”

“…Road connectivity is greatly hampered at these points by ferry crossing, especially during the flood season [ [7] , [8] , [9] ]. Moreover, this ferry service is seriously interrupted during natural disasters, which significantly impairs economic and social activity [ 4 ]. About 2 million residents of the southern upazilas of Bauphal, Dasmina, and Galachipa have been calling for the construction of a bridge at Boga Ferry Ghat in Bauphal for a long time to speed up communication by road to Dumki, Patuakhali, Barishal, and the capital.…”