Dilapidated Stairway to Heaven Poses Safety Risk in Khagrachari
Photo Collected
A signature iron staircase carved into the rugged landscape of Khagrachhari, long celebrated by locals and tourists as a “stairway to heaven,” is falling into a state of dangerous disrepair. Located on the Mayung Kapal hill—a peak known to the local Tripura community for its resemblance to an elephant’s head—the 308-foot structure has become a liability for the residents who rely on it for daily survival.
Constructed by the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board in 2015, the staircase consists of 300 steep steps that ascend to an elevation of 1,208 feet above sea level. While it serves as a vital connection for 15 indigenous Tripura settlements, the iron frame has succumbed to significant corrosion. Many of the steps have broken or completely detached, leaving gaps that locals have attempted to patch with makeshift wooden planks. With railings turned unstable and the metal plates buckled, the ascent has become a treacherous ordeal, particularly during the monsoon season when the structure becomes dangerously slick.
বিজ্ঞাপন
For the residents of the remote hill region, the staircase is more than a tourist attraction; it is the primary artery for students, elderly villagers, and farmers transporting produce to market. Before its construction, the terrain was so difficult that villagers had to scale the slope by grasping onto trees and vines. Today, the deterioration of the metalwork threatens both the local economy and public safety, as business owners and visitors are increasingly deterred by the structural instability.
Local officials are sounding the alarm, noting that the urgency for repairs cannot be overstated. Tapan Bikash Tripura, chairman of the local Perachhara Union Parishad, emphasized that while the staircase initially transformed life for the community, it now poses a constant threat of a major accident. The need for comprehensive maintenance has been escalated to district authorities.
বিজ্ঞাপন
District Administrator Md. Sadat Anwar confirmed that he has personally inspected the site and initiated discussions with the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board, which maintains jurisdiction over the project. Mujibul Alam, the executive engineer for the board in Khagrachhari, acknowledged the gravity of the situation and stated that the agency has scheduled the necessary renovations to be carried out during the upcoming dry season. Until then, the villagers remain trapped in a precarious dependency on a crumbling path, with no safer alternative available.
0%
0%
0%
0%
