Jajpur: As many as 15,000 residents of four blocks in this district are likely to get cut off from the outside world during rainy season as construction of four bridges in the district are only halfway through and yet to be completed.
Construction works are going on for last six years and there is no sign the bridges will get completed anytime soon. Moreover, the works are only halfway through despite funds worth Rs 35,77,44,000 have already been spent in the projects.
The bridges are being constructed on Brahmani and Kharasrota rivers as well as Kani and Bhatia nullah in Bari, Jajpur, Rasulpur and Binjharpur blocks.
The bridges under the jurisdiction of the Rural Works Division1 in Jajpur are being constructed with the financial assistance provided by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
The incomplete bridge has left the residents worried with monsoon making its arrival in the state. Residents apprehend that they will get cut off from the rest of the world if floods occur in the rivers during the rainy season.
They alleged funds worth Rs 35 crore from Nabard has gone down the drain due to the non-completion of bridge works which has happened due to the apathetic and whimsical attitude of departmental officials.
This has sparked resentment among the public as they demanded stringent action against the concerned engineers and contractors for the inordinate delay in construction of the bridge.
Reports said that Nabard as the financier has failed to achieve its target as the bridge works are moving at a snail’s pace in Jajpur district. It is alleged that frequent political interference and kickbacks made in the projects are delaying their timely completion.
Reports available from the rural works department said that the construction of a bridge in Kharasrota river under Bari block was started January 2, 2015. A plan outlay of Rs 20.43 crore was made for the project out of which Nabard sanctioned Rs 15.35 crore.
It was targeted to complete the bridge by May 1, 2015. Funds worth Rs 21.52 crore have been spent and more than three years have passed since the expiry of the deadline for the project but the bridge work is still incomplete.
A plan outlay of Rs 10.42 crore was made for construction of Jhalpada-Brahmabarada bridge on Brahmani river. The work for the bridge started December 16, 2016 and the deadline was scheduled for April 15, 2019.
Meanwhile, funds worth Rs 6.27 crore have been spent on the bridge project but the work is yet to get completed. Two bridge projects on Kani and Bhatia nullah were approved and Rs 2.67 crore was sanctioned for the twin projects.
Works on the twin projects were started February 19, 2018 and were scheduled for completion by August 18, 2019.
Meanwhile, funds worth Rs 49.29 lakh have already been spent. While work on Bhatia nullah is yet to begin, the work on the bridge in Kani nullah is only halfway through.
Similarly, a plan outlay of Rs 9.59 crore was made for the construction of a bridge on Brahmani river at Anikana village under Bari block. The bridge work was started July 10, 2018 and was scheduled to end by July 9, 2020.
Funds worth Rs 7.47 crore were spent on the project but it failed to get completed on time.
When contacted, Bijay Kumar Moharana, executive engineer said that a fresh deadline has been made and the consultancy agencies have been asked to complete the bridge works by December, this year.
However, he said in a report that a change in design of the bridges under-construction has resulted in delay in their completion.
PNN