Nilagiri: Although two years have passed since completion of a Biju Setu over Sona river in Begunia panchayat of this block in Balasore at a cost of Rs 11 crore, locals fail to use it as the approach road work is getting delayed due to land hurdle.
Reports said after years of demand and protests by people of riparian pockets, the state government decided to set up the bridge across Sona river. The rural development department sanctioned Rs 11 crore in 2018 and the contractor completed the bridge two years ago. Construction of an approach road on one side of the bridge is hanging fire due to hurdles in land acquisition. Some private land owners are said to be reluctant to spare their land. The road can provide direct communication to some pockets of Mayurbhanj district.
In monsoon, the riparian villages fail to venture out as the river remains in spate. People of Dobati, Kusunpur, Haripur, Patharg ad, Sujupur, Nishankhapur, Sansapal, Dumagandira, Bhakatnandapur, Totapada and Durgadevi under Remuna block will also get communication facility once the approach road is completed. SDO of Rural Development division Iswari Prasad Das said that private lands of nine people need to be acquired for the project. “We are in talks with some of the land owners to sort it out,” he added.
