MALKANGIRI/BHUBANESWAR: Bringing a temporary setback to Odisha government’s effort to complete the Gurupriya bridge near Balimela reservoir in Odisha’s Maoist-hit Malkangiri district, portions of the overpass have collapsed after incessant rains lashed several parts of Malkangiri district since last few days. Under the impact of flash floods, three girders of the bridge between 10th and 11th columns have caved in. No casualty was reported in the incident, reports said on Wednesday.
It is said that heavy rains and landslides resulted in the bridge collapse where Kolkata-based Royal Infraconstru Ltd was awarded the contract for construction of the bridge. In 2016, chief secretary had set July as the deadline. Later, it was rescheduled to September. “Completion of the bridge will be delayed. No major damage to the bridge and no casualty has been reported,” works secretary Nalini Kanta Pradhan said.
The work of much-awaited bridge, which would provide road connectivity to around 154 villages spread over seven panchayats with a population of 30,000 tribals in the cut-off areas of the district, was delayed due to several reasons – Maoist threat being on the top of the list. The infrastructure company had undertaken the construction of the work after Gammon India Limited abandoned the project after a series of attacks on its men and machinery.
It may be recalled here that the foundation stone for this all-important bridge was laid way back in 1982 by the then CM late JB Patnaik and again by present chief minister Naveen Patnaik in 2000. Initially, the construction work was assigned to the Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation and was later taken up by GIL. But GIL backed out shortly after starting work owing to repeated attacks on its men and equipment by the Red rebels.
