Anandapur: The condition of the Baitarani bridge here in Keonjhar district deteriorated further after wide gaps appeared in between the joints of the bridge where a bearing had slid from a column, a report said.
The bridge has been in an unsafe condition for the last four months after a bearing on a column slipped from its place. As a result, one of the spans of the bridge has gone down. On being informed, officials visited the spot and realized that the bridge’s condition was hazardous. They promised to take all necessary steps to safeguard the bridge and measures for repairing all its spans.
The officials, realizing the possible danger to the bridge, imposed restrictions on the plying of heavy or overloaded vehicles. They also put up a board describing the curbs. Later, a wooden structure was fixed to the place as a temporary measure where the bearing had slipped from one of the columns of the bridge.
However, heavy vehicles did not pay heed to the restrictions and continued to ply on the bridge. As a result, the bridge condition deteriorated further. Currently, gaps in between the joints of the bridge have widened further where the bearing had slipped from a column. Now, commuting on the bridge has become a risky proposition.
The widening of the gaps has sparked panic among the commuters and local residents as they apprehend that the bridge might collapse soon. Observers claimed that the condition of the bridge might deteriorate further if the departmental officials do not repair it immediately.
Notably, boat was the only mode of transport in between Ghasipura and Anandapur in the past. However, the state government caved in to the demands of the residents and decided to construct a bridge across the river after the people of Anandapur launched a series of agitations starting from 1978.
The bridge construction work which started in 1980 was completed in 1985. The completion of the river bridge across Baitarani was the result of the agitations and hard work of the residents of Anandapur. However, the looming fear over the fate of the river bridge has sparked panic among the residents.
Meanwhile, the residents led by a social outfit Maa Dhanei Committee have submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding construction of a second bridge across the river.
PNN
