Nabarangpur: Construction of a bridge on Indravati reservoir to facilitate communication between Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts is yet to be realised with the villagers continuing to boat across the waterbody endangering their lives. The state government had announced for construction of a bridge on Indravati reservoir three years back. But the project is yet to see the light of day as it is still stuck in the survey, a report said.
On the other hand, villagers are forced to put their lives at risk to travel in the reservoir using rickety country boats. The bridge when constructed will reduce the distance between Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts by 70 km and from Khatiguda to Rayagada by 105 km. The distance from Nabarangpur town to Rayagada is 175 km via Jeypore and Koraput. The construction of the bridge will also usher in commercial growth in the peripheral areas.
Reports said that residents of six villages under Manchagaon panchayat and several under Dasmantpur block in Koraput district continue to commute in country boats from Kenduguda ghat to attend to their various works in Tentulikhunti and Khatiguda. No one knows when a mishap will occur and snap the lives of the villagers. This has disappointed the gullible villagers of these cut-off areas who had pinned high hopes that a bridge will be constructed on the reservoir and end their years of suffering.
Sources said the residents of Tentulikhunti and Nandahandi blocks in Nabarangpur district were socially and culturally connected with the residents of Rayagada and Koraput districts before the construction of the Indravati reservoir. However, all communications between the residents of Nabarangpur with Rayagada and Koraput districts came to a halt after the construction of the reservoir. The state government realised the plight of the residents and announced for construction of a high-level bridge at Kenduguda boat ghat in Manchagon panchayat to facilitate communication between Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts, September 2020.
The bridge proposed to be over 500 metre in length was decided to be constructed under the state-sponsored ‘Biju Setu Yojana’ at a plan outlay of Rs 165 crore in the initial phase. Moreover, the state government also announced to construction of five km of pucca roads from the boat ghat which will connect with Girliguma. The Public Works department was given the charge of construction. The water level in the reservoir is over 43 metre where the bridge will be constructed. However, the survey is yet to be completed and the final plan outlay has not been prepared yet. Efforts were made to contact the superintending engineer but he was not available for comment on the issue. The bridge when constructed will bring an end to the sufferings of people residing in the cut-off areas of the reservoir.