Pattamundai/Aul: With both ends of the Patrapur bridge on Cuttack-Chandbali road across River Brahmani remaining blocked with mass of earth this week, locals are a harried lot and blame the administration for not making any alternative arrangement for them to go out for their urgent needs.
The bridge, notably, was badly in need of repair and hence the suspension of traffic for start of works. An announcement had been made earlier, saying the road would be closed from June 18 to July 2 for this purpose.
Since the bridge is on the sole route for communication with the outside world for the people of Aul block, its closure has virtually imprisoned them to their locality. If a health problem arises, they have no way reaching a hospital.
Locals said an alternative arrangement was a matter of first priority, but the local administration took no such step. If no such arrangement was made immediately, they would start an agitation.
The bridge was inaugurated in 1985 by then chief minister Janaki Ballav Patnaik. No major periodic repair work was undertaken in these 33 years. The bridge started sinking at its Aul side, scaring the people of a likely collapse any time. Hence, the repair of the bridge was a long-standing demand of the locals.