Kendrapara: Kendrapara district was very dearer to the late Biju Patnaik, but many projects named after him are languishing in neglect, it is alleged.
Take the example of Biju Setu at Palanda (Halapata) in the Chandibaunsamula GP of Rajnagar block. Although five years have passed since its launch, it is still a non-starter.
Sources said people of Palanda, Dholamara, Gadapari, Kusunpur and Lokanathprasad villages use a bamboo bridge to cross the crocodile-infested Dantuani river, a tributary of the Brahmani. At least 3,000 people of these five villages depend on the bamboo bridge laid over the river.
Every day hundreds of school and college students use the rickety bridge to go to the Chandibaunsamula-based Sri Jagannath High School, Sabitridebi Girls’ High School, Laxminarayan Sanskrit School, Gopabandhu Sisu Mandir and the Nalinikanta Mohanty Mahavidyalaya.
College students walk across the bamboo bridge carrying cycles on their shoulders or they have to keep their cycles at Palanda village.
The villagers use the bamboo bridge to go to Jarimula and Chandibaunsamula markets to buy provisions and to visit the panchayat office, the local cooperative society office, veterinary clinic, Ayurvedic centre and a PSB branch.
Although an RD (rural development department) road is available, it is too far. As schools, colleges and the bank are located on the other side of the river, they use the bamboo bridge, said Puspalata Pradhan, the sarpanch of Chandibaunsamula GP.
Some children have fallen into the river after slipping from the bamboo bridge while going to school, but fortunately escaped crocodile attacks.
Former MLA of Rajnagar, Alekha Jena, laid the foundation stone of Biju Setu near Palanda March 3, 2014. Although half a decade has passed, construction of the bridge has not started.
When contacted Gunadhar Samal, deputy executive engineer of Rural Development in Rajnagar, said tenders were called and the work was awarded to a firm. A soil test was also conducted. Unfortunately, it was found that the bridge’s design had to be changed.
Due to this, the contractor firm abandoned work. “Later, a new design was approved for the bridge, but the contractor firm did not participate in the tender process due to GST problems,” he added.
Tenders were invited twice, but only one firm participated. It was later sent for the approval of the Chief Engineer, Gunadhar said.
Now, the tender process is in an advanced stage. After the tender is awarded, bridge construction would start after monsoon ends, he said.
Orissa POST made an attempt to contact Rajnagar MLA Dhruba Sahu on his phone, but he did not take the call.
PNN
