BHUBANESWAR: A war of words has ensued between the BJD and BJP after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced on Monday that the State Government will take up construction of the second bridge on river Brahmani near Panposh of Sundargarh district out of its own resources if the Centre failed to do so.Criticising Naveen for politicising the issue, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said funds have already been allotted for the project and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has already issued tenders. Oram, on the other hand, wanted to know when the State Government will complete land acquisition for the project.
A delegation led by former minister and BJD MLA Mangala Kissan met the Chief Minister at the Secretariat and discussed the bridge issue. Naveen assured the delegation that he will again take up the matter with the Centre. “If the Centre is not serious, the State Government will construct the bridge out of its own resources,” he told the delegation.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has requested Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari for personal intervention to direct the NHAI to immediately take up construction of the second bridge on NHAI-143 or allow the State Government to construct the six lane bridge as a standalone project in the larger interest of the public. The bridge is yet to be started by NHAI despite repeated requests, the Chief Minister said in a letter to Gadkari and added that the unusual delay in commencement of the project work may result in a disaster.
Referring to the two earlier letters he wrote to Gadkari in this regard on December 2, 2014 and May 24, 2017, the Chief Minister reminded the Union Minister about the urgency of its construction. “The existing old narrow two lane bridge over river Brahmani on the NH 143, located near Panposh, connecting Biramitrapur and Barkote is in a distressed condition,” Naveen said and added, “This road is the economic lifeline of this part of the State and caters to heavy mining and commercial traffic.”