Aradi: Baba Akhandalamani Peetha in Aradi of Bhadrak is a major tourist draw, but thousands of people coming to this spot are faced with serious problems in the absence of a bridge. Three bridge projects, a long- pending demand of the locals, hang fire.
The pilgrimage spot is surrounded by River Salandi and Baitarani on the three sides — in the east, west and south. Devotees and others coming to the shrine have to cross the rivers at Dhanakhania ghat (east), Tinitar Ghat (south and Muan Ghat in (west) by boat.
The lease-holders of these ghats earn lakhs of rupees from people as fares every year. It is alleged that the boat journey is fraught with risks as boatmen carry people, motorcycles, bicycles and articles beyond capacity.
Locals say since the boats are unfit and weak, people feel the risk of the vessels facing mishaps anytime. The administration had taken note of the commuting problem of the people in 2005 and initiated efforts to set up the bridges at Tinitar, Dhanakhania and Muan ghats.
Reports said tenders are being floated for bridge projects, but there are no takers for their construction due to the meagre budget provision. Former minister Manmohan Samal and former MLA Bijay Nayak had made efforts to give a push to the bridge projects, but their efforts did not succeed during their terms in power.
In November, 2014, MLA Byomkesh Ray and then rural development minister Badrinarayan Patra held a press conference and announced that the bridge construction at Tinitar and Dhanakhania will begin soon. They had promised that the bridge construction work would be taken up on a turn-key basis.
In February, 2015, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation stones at Chandbali for the two bridge projects. Sadly, over 17 months have passed since the groundbreaking ceremony by the CM, and there is no hint of the work for the projects being taken up, locals alleged.
They said, ”When we are ferried by old mechanized boats, we leave our fate in the hands of the divine.”
“The state government has no funds for these bridge projects at Tinitar, Dhanakhania and Muan. The groundbreaking ceremony is just meant to hoodwink the people,” said local BJP leader Purnachandra Pani.
Former Youth Congress president Digambar Sahu said that the state government has a moral duty to construct bridges at these three ghats. “The kind of ordeal the people face while crossing the rivers in boats is beyond description,” he said.
BJD leader Ashok Bal said their MLA has been making all-out efforts for bridge construction and it will happen. PNN