MALKANGIRI: After the failure of the Odisha Government to build bridges over river Saveri on Chhattisgarh side and Sileru on Andhra Pradesh side, the neighbouring governments have taken up construction works. The State Government had floated tender at least five times for construction of a bridge over river Saveri to provide direct connectivity with Khonta in Chhattisgarh and from there to Bhadranchalam in Andhra Pradesh by 2009, but there was no participation due to Maoist threats.
The 290-metre bridge, being built by AP Government, was approved by Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) under Left Wing Extremism (LWE) scheme and allotted to Andhra Pradesh in 2013 under Vijayawada-Ranchi Corridor scheme to facilitate inter-State connectivity, usher development in the region and ensure maintenance of law and order in Maoist- affected States.
The work on the bridge, at an estimated cost of Rs 23.13 crore, has entered the final phase with 85 per cent work complete, said National Highways SDO Abhisek Sethi on Monday. Of the 11 spans, slab casting over nine spans has been completed and the bridge is likely to be ready in the next two months, he said, adding that the recent flood water has not touched the slabs.
Sethi said though the project work was supposed to be completed by August this year, it got delayed by two months due to continuous heavy rain. While Andhra Pradesh Government would construct 90-metre approach road, Odisha will build about 100-metre to 115-metre approach road to connect the bridge with NH-326, a part of Vijayawada-Ranchi Corridor, Sethi said.
On the other hand, the bridge over river Saveri being constructed by Chhattisgarh in Motu would connect Motu with Bhadranchalam in Telangana via Khonta in Chhattisgarh and from there to Andhra Pradesh. The work for the 552-metre bridge is on, Sethi added.Once completed, the bridge will connect Motu in Malkangiri district with Chittoor town in Andhra Pradesh and provide inter-state connectivity while facilitating combing operation on the border, security experts here said.