Beledweyne(Mogadishu24)-Local residents in the towns of Beledweyne, Buulaburte, and Jalalaqsi in the Hiiraan region have began the construction and repair of roads and bridges that were damaged by heavy rains and floods.

These critical roads and bridges, connecting southern and central Somalia, are undergoing reconstruction through a community-led initiative financed by community fundraising efforts.

Repair work on the Nur Hawaad and Bundaweyn bridges in Beledweyne, as well as key bridges in Buulaburte, has already commenced. However, the repair process has yet to begin in Jalalaqsi district, raising concerns about a potential collapse.

The strategically important Bundaweyn Bridge, crucial for the movement of Beledweyne neighbourhoods, has been restored by young volunteers, rendering it temporarily inaccessible to vehicles for 24 hours.

This community-driven project is spearheaded by the Beledweyne Youth and Development Association.

“We are young people who work voluntarily and have committed ourselves to the development of the city. We noticed that the bridge was neglected, and the water destroyed the old concrete structure.”

“ If it continued like that, it would have been completely destroyed. We intervened, and now the repair process is underway. There is no longer any fear of potential collapse,” said Dadir Haji Ali, the chairman of Isxilqaam Beledweyne Youth.

The main bridge in Buulaburte, which was damaged by the floods, connects the northern and southern regions and has successfully been repaired through the community’s collaborative efforts.

Al-Shabaab militants have attempted to completely destroy this bridge but their efforts went futile.

The Somali Government, Hirshabelle State and International Agencies visited Bula-burte’s bridge and promised the reconstruction of the bridge at that time after Al-Shabaab destroyed it with auto-rickshaw bomb blast early this year.