Eight years on, bridge over Brahmani remains incomplete

Jajpur: An under-construction bridge over Brahmani river at Rasulpur block in Jajpur district is yet to be completed even eight years after the construction was started. The proposed bridge, which will connect 20 villages under five gram panchayats of Rasulpur and Jajpur blocks, is yet to be completed due to alleged official apathy.

As per reports, the contract agency, in charge of executing the project, which managed to complete more than 70 per cent of the project, has abandoned it. With the bridge being left incomplete, many villagers in Jajpur block, who solely depend on Brahmabarada market for their daily chores, are travelling 6-8 km to reach the nearby market which is situated just a kilometre away.

Besides, hundreds of students, elderly people and patients of Jhalpada and Rudrapur gram panchayats face hardships due to the absence of a bridge as they are forced to come to Brahmabarada as high school, college, bank, post office and hospital are located on the other side of the river.

“Over 20,000 people in at least 20 villages face lots of problems due to the incomplete bridge. Students, elderly people, women and patients are the worst sufferers. Especially during monsoon, they are forced to take boat rides to go to schools, colleges, markets, hospitals and for other important works, thereby putting their lives in danger,” said Siba Prasad Sahoo, a villager.

Local people have expressed their resentment over the tardy progress in the construction work. Though the foundation stone of the bridge was laid in 2016, it is yet to be completed due to the lackadaisical attitude of the contractor and the district administration.

“The bridge would have been completed in 2019. However, it is yet to be completed even eight years after its commencement and as a result, the residents of the area are facing lot of hardships. The administration is clueless about when the project will be completed,” said Soubhagya Kumar Sahoo, a resident of Kakudikuda. “We have been running from pillar to post for the completion of the bridge work for the past two years but to no avail,” he said.

Reports said a plan outlay of Rs 10.42 crore was made for the construction of Brahmabarada bridge on Brahmani river under Biju Setu scheme. The work for the bridge started on December 16, 2016 and the deadline was scheduled for April 15, 2019. Seven of the eight pillars of the bridge have been completed so far. Besides, six spans of the bridge have been completed. Work on the remaining one pillar and one roof slab of the bridge are yet to be started. Thereafter, both sides of approach roads will be erected. The contract agency has stopped work for the past two years.

Contacted, an official of Jajpur Rural Development department admitted the project has been halted and assured that the bridge work will be completed this year. “The delay in the construction work was mainly due to some technical problems. We have consulted the bridge experts and things will be sorted out. Hopefully, the bridge work will be completed this

year,” he said.