Bhubaneswar: Unable to complete the construction of Gurupriya Setu (bridge) in Malkangiri district within September 2017, the state government Friday revised the deadline of the much-awaited project further by three months, asking officials at the field level to complete it by February 2018.
The revised deadline was fixed at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi at the Secretariat where he reviewed the status of several development projects taken up by the government for the Maoist-infested district.
The project is suffering inordinate delays because of large scale LWE (Left Wing Extremism) activities in the area as well as other reasons too.
The 910-metre long Gurupriya bridge project, its current cost estimation being around `187crore, is aimed at facilitating over 30,000 tribals living in 151-odd villages that are cut off from the mainland of Malkangiri after Chitrakonda reservoir was constructed in 1964 for Balimela Hydel Project.
According to sources, the LWE extremists having a strong hold in the region, have time and again halted the work of the project whose foundation stone was laid way back in 1982.
It was alleged that the ultras have often set afire the machinery and vehicles engaged for construction of the bridge and also the makeshift tents at the construction site.
A Maoist ambush in the region that took place August 26, 2015 killing three BSF personnel along with a civilian had led to stoppage of work for several months.
Besides, heavy rains during the monsoons had also affected the work, officials said.
During today’s meeting, officials informed that of the 22 spans of the bridge, work of 17 are over while the field level officials of works department and the construction firm have been asked to complete the work of the bridge by February 2018.
Reviewing other development projects taken up in the district the Chief Secretary said that of the 15 mobile towers to be installed at various places in the district, three have already been set up, while the remaining 12 would be done between December and January.
Officials informed that 91 Gram Panchayats (GPs) out of 111 GPs in the district have no mobile network and banking facilities. There is also shortage of doctors.
Stating that lack of communication is a major hindrance to development of the district, the Chief Secretary asked BSNL to ensure laying of fibre cables from Sileru to Chitrokonda by February 15. The meeting also decided to give ‘stand-by’ connectivity to Malkangiri to ensure better communication.
The government has also decided to make an ANM training centre in the district functional in the 2018-19 fiscal.
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