Karimnagar: Bridge faces inundation threat

Huge delay in the construction of a new bridge on Godavari may badly affect the road connectivity between Karimnagar and Adilabad districts if the old low-lying bridge is submerged due to the incomplete new high level bridge.

The low-lying bridge has become congested with the increased vehicle movement on the route which connects the two bordering districts.

The traffic is dense on this route because devotees visit famous Satyanarayana Swamy temple at Gudem whenever they visit Dharmapuri temple.

It is said that the pushkar ghats constructed on the Godavari river bed for Godavari Pushkaralu will also be submerged at Gudem if the project backwaters level rises to the maximum in the future.

It was expected that the new high level bridge on Godavari would be completed just before the beginning of the Godavari Pushkaralu but in that did not happen. Last date for completion of the bridge was extended thrice but still remains incomplete.

Construction of a bridge with 28 pillars was taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore and construction work of the bridge is going on at snail’s pace.

Actually the construction of new bridge was started in 2010-11 and it should have been completed by 2013. The state government has extended the time till July, 2014 but in vain.

However, water is being lifted sometimes at Gudem Lift Irrigation which was inaugurated few months ago.