RAYAGADA: The much-awaited Gumuda bridge over river Bansadhara has become operational after the temporary wooden bridge was removed by the officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) on Thursday. Though the bridge is yet to be inaugurated, locals started commuting on it after removal of the wooden bridge. Earlier, the PWD officials had decided to open the bridge for public after its inauguration but locals resented the decision and rolled their vehicles on the bridge. Sources said Gumuda bridge, on Bhubaneswar-Koraput State Highway via Berhampur, the lifeline of the district, was constructed in 1980. However, the bridge was washed away in flash floods in August 2007. Later, the State Government decided to construct a new bridge (720 metres in length) at an estimated cost of Rs 26 crore. A tender was floated by the local administration in 2009 and work was entrusted to a private construction company, which started work in 2010 with a deadline to complete it by 2012.
However, due to excess stone deposits, the work got delayed and the bridge was redesigned following which, the construction agency sought extension of time for completion of the bridge. The cost of the bridge was also increased from Rs 26 crore to Rs 45 crore. The bridge work, which was rescheduled to be completed by June 2015, got delayed due to technical problems and natural calamities. Later, the construction company sought one more year to complete the work. Now the distance between Berhampur and Rayagada has been reduced. Earlier, one had to cover an additional 35 km to reach Rayagada through an alternative route. The distance between Rayagada and Berhampur via Gumuda bridge is 207 km.
The bridge is also a part of Vijayawada- Ranchi Corridor and lifeline for around 40,000 people of Ramanaguda, Padmapur and Gudari blocks. Executive Engineer of PWD Gauranga Charan Sahu said people are excited after completion of bridge work. Without waiting for the inauguration, they started commuting on the bridge on Thursday.
