PARVATHIPURAM-MANYAM: The long-cherished dream of nearly 60 tribal hamlets in Parvathipuram agency is likely to be realised with the government granting administrative sanction for the completion of the Purnapadu–Labhesu bridge across the River Nagavali.
The Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department issued G.O. RT No. 678, sanctioning Rs 15.8 crore as per the revised estimation. District officials are preparing to call tenders for the pending works and accord technical sanction.
The high-level bridge, a long-pending demand for five decades, is vital for around 60 tribal hamlets under 31 Grama Panchayats.
Villagers currently struggle to reach Komarada mandal headquarters, especially during monsoons, when they are cut off from the outside world. In 1996, at least 32 tribals drowned in a country boat mishap while crossing the river.
The bridge project was first sanctioned in 2006 at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore but remained incomplete due to delays. In 2016, the TDP government revised the cost to Rs 7 crore and resumed works, completing 70% before halting again. Later, the YSRCP government sanctioned Rs 14 crore in 2021, but the contractor abandoned Rs 5.25 crore worth of pending works.
Now, the TDP-led NDA government has revised the total cost to Rs 15.8 crore, covering the pending works of Rs 5.25 crore and an additional package of Rs 1.8 crore. Tenders have already been invited for the unfinished works.
Speaking to TNIE, Panchayat Raj Engineering officer, VS Nagesh Babu said, “We have called tenders a second time for Rs 5.25 crore worth of left-over work as per the previous sanctions of Rs 14 crore.
However, no contracting agency came forward to quote the tenders. They are not quoting tenders as the money is not sufficient for the completion of the bridge. Therefore, the government has sanctioned additional package of Rs 1.8 crore as per the revised estimations. We have been preparing the ground to call the tenders in addition to technical sanctions. I hope now the contracting agencies might come forward to quote the tenders and complete the bridge."
"Our village is at just three km from the mandal headquarters in Komarada. However, we have to travel at least 50 km via Kurupam and Parvathipuram to reach Komarada due to the absence of a bridge across Nagavali. We are forced to cross the river by swimming for medical emergencies," Biddika Raju, a resident of Komarada, told TNIE.
