Rupsa: After a long time, commuting woes of thousands people in Basta and Baliapal blocks in Balasore district are going to be sorted out soon. The long-awaited Panchupada bridge near Solapata in Balasore will be completed with turnkey method.
The work of the Rs 21-cr bridge was left abandoned due to several reasons like legal hassle over land and some technical issues. In view of the depth of the river at this place, some contractors were not keen to take up the work.
Work on an approach road near Panchupada could not be carried out due to legal tangle. However, Setu Surakhya Samiti, a local outfit, has initiated the process to sort out the issue Wednesday. Sand and murram filling work was undertaken Wednesday.
Once completed, the bridge would play a key role in reliving the commuting problems of the people in several villages. The 25-year-old dream for locals is expected to be realised soon.
Initially, no contractor was keen to take up the work. Finally, the state government had ordered for construction of the bridge via turnkey method. Haryana-based Singla Construction was awarded the work at a cost of Rs 20.97 crore. The bridge work was to be completed by February 13, 2013.
However, for some technical reasons, the deadline was pushed to December 31, 2017.
An approach road on the side of Solapata has been completed while the other road is yet to be completed.
MLA Jiban Pradip Das said, “The government will pay compensation to the person for the land to be used for the approach road soon while the construction company has been asked to complete the work. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the bridge.”
“After completion of the bridge, people on entire north Orissa will benefit from it,” said Prafulla Jena, president of Setu Surakhya Samiti.
A person had moved a court, claiming a patch of land near the bridge belonged to him. As a result, the approach road work was stalled for a long time.
However, the issue was sorted out by the administration following a court order.
The work was resumed in the presence of over 2,000 people from Alaumeda, Sartha, Kasaphala, Panchupada, Chhanua, Kuradiha, Bahabalpur, Dudulagardi, Srirampur, Rasalpur, Kunduli, Sahada, Bolang, Baniadiha panchayats under Basta and Baliapal blocks.
In the absence of the bridge, people have to cross the river by boats at Panchupada ghat. PNN
