Kendrapara: Ghagara village is virtually an island in Brahmani River. Its only connection with the outside world was a wooden bridge at one time. But that was also gone in an attempt to replace it with a concrete pillar bridge. Now, villagers use a rickety bamboo structure to reach the other side of the river as a half-completed permanent bridge stands testimony to official negligence and callousness.
The villagers’ plight is miserable during the rainy season when the river is in full flow. Their only means of reaching the other side from the village is by boat. While the monsoon keeps many residents of Ghagara gram panchayat under Kendrapara block indoors, prolonged spells of rain force villagers of Ward No 2 and 4 indoors for days together.
More than 500 people, including school and college students, of these two wards along with Taradipal, Ghagaradiha, Tulashi Diha villagers had earlier used the dilapidated wooden bridge that was constructed on Brahmani Nala, a branch of Brahmani River, for many years. But in 2009 when the bridge became unsafe, the RD Department had decided to construct a concrete bridge.
The then MLA of Bari-Derabish, Debasis Nayak, and the then MP of Jajpur, Mohan Jena, had laid the foundation stone for constructing the concrete bridge on January 11, 2009 at Bada Ghagara on Dobandha- Ghagara Road.
Work began promptly but the contractor who bagged the project had allegedly dismantled the wooden bridge to make way for the permanent bridge. Later, in the same year, the contractor stopped the work and abandoned the site following the direction of High Court in a case. Two years later, the case was dismissed in 2011.Since then, no concrete steps have been taken to complete the half-constructed bridge, said Narayan Parida, former member of Ghagara Panchayat Samiti.
In yet another twist to the bridge saga, the RD Department later changed the bridge design after conducting several soil tests at the site. The department felt the bridge design was faulty and feared the structure would collapse if it went ahead with the old design.
Nevertheless, the bridge construction work has been going on for six years at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crores, but till date only pillars had been completed. “As a result, locals have been suffering a lot,” said Rasmibala Parida, a resident of Ward No 2 of Ghagara gram panchayat.
“We are unable to avail the 102 and 108 ambulance service during emergencies due to lack of proper road communication…If a fire accident occurs the fire brigade can’t reach us,” lamented Pujarani Sahu, another local.
“If a person falls sick or a pregnant woman requires medical attention for delivery during rainy season, only God has to save them. Else, the pregnant woman has to deliver the child at home,” said another local. Meanwhile, a pregnant woman has rented a house in Kendrapara town for delivering her child at district headquarters hospital due to lack of basic communication facilities, according to locals.
To meet the immediate needs of villagers, a bamboo bridge has been put up but it has become a difficult task for the elderly persons and children to go to the other side of the river. While most of the aged people and widows are unable to visit the panchayat office for collecting their monthly pension, students skip their classes days together. One can’t take a bike as the approach to the bridge is 20 feet high, said Banchanidhi Parida, a retired engineer of Ward No 4.
Though the locals have brought the issue before the Executive Engineer, Kendrapara Rural Works Division, Superintendent Engineer Cuttack Rural Works Circle, RD Department and Kendrapara collector, nothing has been done. Locals blame authorities for the inordinate delay in providing a road connection to hapless villagers. It is denial of fundamental right, they insist.
When contacted, Manas Ranjan Parida, the zilla parishad chairperson , stated that he along with the local MLA recently visited Ghagara panchayat during floods and faced difficulties due to lack of road facilities. He said he would bring the issue to the notice of the authority concerned on priority basis to complete the half constructed bridge on war footing. District collector Reghu G said the matter has come to his notice only recently. He would look into it and ask the RD Department to complete the bridge construction immediately. PNN
