Baripada: The tardy pace of construction work of a bridge over Budhabalanga river on the outskirts of Baripada town in Mayurbhanj district has triggered anger and resentment among local people. They threatened to call a strike if the work is not completed within the deadline.
The bridge is under construction at Madhuban on the Baripada-Midnapore state highway, connecting Udala. The Works department had initially sanctioned a budget of Rs27,29,80,206 for the project and the work was awarded to Iron Triangle Limited. The construction work commenced in May 2017 and the contractor firm was asked to complete the work by December 2018.
Later, the department felt the requirement of two more spans. As a result, the project cost was revised to Rs30.57 crore.
The 292-metre-long bridge will have eight spans with 400-metre and 200-metr-long approach roads from the Madhuban side and the other side of the bridge, respectively.
As of now, construction of five pillars has been completed, while work on two has just started. With no spans being constructed as yet, it is now anyone’s guess when the bridge will be completed.
While three years have passed since the construction work began, it will take at least another two years to be complete. The inordinate delay has left the locals worried as well as infuriated. “The century-old narrow bridge’s dilapidated condition had necessitated a new one. Due to heavy traffic on the existing one, people have nightmarish experiences while crossing it,” rued local residents like Govind Naik, Sanatan Naik and Panchanan Naik.
When the Works department assistant engineer Bikas Pani was contacted for his comment in this regard, he said March 2022 has been set as a new deadline for the completion of the bridge. In case of any unforeseen problem, it may take 3/4 months more.
PNN