Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will Monday inaugurate Odisha’s longest as well as high-level bridge over Mahanadi River, which will shorten the distance between Gopinathpur-Singhanath Pitha-Baideswar of Cuttack district.
The bypass named ‘T-Setu’ is about 3.4 kilometre in length and would benefit over 5 lakh people.
“Plan for a new bridge shortening distance between the two towns was earlier chalked out as Odisha government has always emphasised on infrastructure development in the state,” a senior official said.
“Senior BJD leader and former minister Debi Prasad Mishra visited the bridge Sunday for pre-inspection and ensured that all arrangements for the event are in place. Rs 111 crore has been spent on the bridge construction,” the official added.
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If one commutes through this route, the bridge would help reduce more than 45 kilometre of distance between Gopinathpur-Singhanath Pitha-Baideswar. Mostly, marginal traders, tourists and local commuters would be benefitted by using the newly constructed T-Bridge. The design of the bridge resembles the English letter ‘T’, the official informed.
The bridge apart, Patnaik will also launch ‘Mukhyamantri Vaayu Swasthya Seva’ (air health service) at the Biju Patnaik International Airport Monday. Any patient either requiring better healthcare or treatment in emergent situations will be airlifted to the intended hospital under this scheme.
“After successfully implementing Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) in 30 districts of Odisha, the government is going to take yet another major step for enhancing healthcare services,” a government official said.
Government doctors will be able to visit remote areas in the state through air ambulances to treat needy patients. In the first phase, air ambulance service will be launched for four districts such as Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Nuapada and Nabarangpur. Specialists and surgeons will be taken to doorsteps of patients residing in remote areas.
Operation theatres at the District Headquarters Hospitals (DHHs) will be augmented to conduct major surgeries as part of the scheme and identified patients will be brought to respective DHHs and treated.
PNN