PATNA; In a first-ever move taken in the country, volunteers associated with the Gandhi Setu Bachao Abhiyan (Save Gandhi Setu Campaign) tied rakhi to one of the longest river bridges in Asia -Gandhi Setu in Bihar on Monday on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
Led by doctor-turned-social activist Dr B Jha Mrinal, who has launched the mass campaign to save the Mahatma Gandhi Setu, built across the Ganga between Hajipur and Patna, hundreds of people tied rakhi to the bridge. This unique way of celebrating the raksha bandhan was watched by many road users while crossing the bridge.
Dr Mrinal, who runs Palika Vinayak hospital, said that the main objective of this program was to express peaceful opposition to the government's direction to break the east lane of the bridge with immediate effect. "As we see the reflection of god in every things of this world included stone, we tied rakhi and prayed for facilitating the safe journey to all giving us a stronge sense of traffic rules," Dr Mrinal said.
He said that the program of rakshabandhan with the setu was attended by many activists involved through virtual media from social institutions name the Mithila Student Union, World Diaspora Association, Academic Federation, Hindu Energy, National Youth Development Council, International Hindu Army, Youth Development Forum, Medical Conflict Front and the Save International.
It should be noted that on July 31, the western lane of the bridge has been restarted after repair, and now the government immediately wants to close the eastern lane for the same.
Mrinal said that two bridges are to be constructed parallel to Gandhi Setu. "Before that there was no justification for dismantling the eastern lane for renovation. Due to this, lakhs of people passing through this bridge every day will have to suffer a lot and face jam like situation for the next three-four years",he said.
As per a rough data, around 5 lakh people pass through this bridge every week.and this bridge is the main means of connecting about 8 crore people living in the north of Ganga with the capital Patna.
Dr Mrinal is the first person who set up passenger sheds and first-aid kiosks at bridge for the benefits of commuters in case of an accidental emergency.
A recipient of many awards, he has saved the lives of more than 200 injured people by taking them to his hospital for free medical cares in the last few decades. "I have donated an ambulance for ferrying people injured in the accident on bridge in Patna side. The ambulance remains static everyday under Patna traffic police command," he said.
Prominent among others who tied rakhi were Rakesh Kishore Jha, Avinash Bhardwaj, Prof. Satyendra Kumar, Dr. Veena Kumari Sinha, Kisalaya Kishore, Pankaj Singh, Dheeraj Kumar, Rajesh Kumar, Sagar Navodia, Nand Kumar, Srikanth Pandey and Shreyas Singh.