Blockade over bridge repair hits NH traffic

JAJPUR:Traffic on National Highway (NH)-200 was paralysed for over four hours as locals staged a road blockade demanding immediate repair of Brahmani bridge in the district on Thursday.

Hundreds of people under the banner of Brahmani Setu Surakshya Manch (BSSM) sat on road near the bridge over Brahmani river at Pankapal in protest. The blockade, led by former minister Prafulla Ghadei, began at 7 am and continued till 11.15 am, disrupting traffic communication completely. Thousands of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the NH.

Ghadei, who is also the chief advisor of BSSM, said, “Brahmani bridge, which is the lifeline of  Jajpur, Dhenkanal and Angul districts, is now in dilapidated condition and has not been repaired for the last several years. If the bridge is not renovated soon, it will collapse.”The bridge on NH-200 was built in 1962 by the then chief minister Biju Patnaik. It connects Kalinga Nagar Industrial Complex in Jajpur with port town Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district.

Ghadei alleged that the bridge is full of potholes while the barricades on both the  sides have weakened due to non-maintenance. As a result, accidents have become a regular affair. The bridge should be immediately repaired for smooth movement of thousands of vehicles plying on it every day, he said.
Despite repeated pleas to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which is responsible for maintenance of the bridge, nothing has been done so far, Ghadei alleged.

The blockade was withdrawn after NHAI authorities and officials of district administration reached the spot and assured the agitators of repairing and restoring the bridge within 15 days.
Contacted , NHAI Engineer Ratikanta Parida said, “Some bearings of the end spans of the bridge  have been dislocated. As a result, gaps have developed between the two spans.” Repair and restoration of the bridge has been awarded to a Bhopal-based firm which would start the work by November 15, he added.
Among others, Sukinda MLA Pritiranjan Ghadei, chairperson of  Sukinda block Padmabati Jena, chairperson of Danagadi block Lopamudra Nayak, BSSM convenor Sarojkanta Behera, Kalinga Nagar Mazdoor Union president Pratap Chandra Dhir and residents of nearby villages participated in the blockade.