Dasmantpur: For the past five years, construction of a bridge project across Chaberi river with an estimated cost of Rs 2.77 crore has remained confined to its foundational level in Dasmantpur area of Koraput district.
Owing to apathy of the administration and the contractor concerned, work on the project has failed to make headway while thousands of people living in six villages have been dealing with commuting woes. Chaberi river flows through Nandia panchayat under Dasmantpur block.
In the absence of a bridge, people of Salapguda, Kumundaguda, Tentuliguda and several other villages have to wade across the river to reach their destinations every day. “As there is no bridge, our villages are deprived of education and emergency healthcare services and many other facilities.
In monsoon, when the river is in full spate, people have to remain totally cut off from the rest of the world for days together. Life becomes miserable without essential items. When people need emergency medical care, it is too difficult to take them across the river and finally to the nearest hospital,” lamented some locals. Taking note of their plight, the government decided to build a bridge across the river in 2017.
An estimated Rs 2.77 crore fund was allocated for the project while its work awarded to Maa Bhagawati Construction was started from August 7, 2017. It was supposed to be completed by January 6, 2019. Already three years have passed after its deadline of completion, but the work is yet to show any progress. Locals warned of agitation if nothing is done to carry forward the bridge work. Our correspondent tried to know the reasons for the delay from the authorities of the construction agency, but none of them was available.
