Mahakalapara: Hopes soared high for the construction of a bridge on river Gobari connecting Chandiapali with Mahakalapara block in Kendrapara district after a diver went inside the crocodile-infested river for soil examination. The bridge between Chandiapalli and Mahakalapara block will connect 10 riparian panchayats and will be constructed at a plan outlay of Rs 47 crore. The foundation stone for the bridge was laid by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in 2016. The construction of the bridge got delayed as the consultancy agency dilly-dallied in starting the works. Fed up with the delay, the Works department floated a fresh tender.
In the bid, a Noida-based agency Naren Das Construction Pvt Ltd was awarded the contract for Rs 47 crore. Later, the agency started the construction work. Meanwhile, an international scuba diver Rajendra Nayak went inside the crocodile infested river in a protective iron fence and examined the soil on the bottom of the river to further proceed on the bridge construction, Friday. Provided with oxygen, he remained inside the river for over an hour and examined the soil in various parts of the riverbed.
Notably, Rajendra has successfully performed scuba diving in Qatar, Dubai, and other countries. However, when important tests are being conducted for the bridge construction, senior officials’ absence at the site has sparked resentment among the people. Efforts to contact the higher-ups of Works department over phone failed to yield any results.
