Hundreds of people on Monday met the Keonjhar district Collector and submitted a memorandum to him demanding early construction work of the Kusei bridge near Belabahali village. They met Collector N Thirumala Nayak at a grievance meeting in Ghasipura block and expressed their concern over the tardy pace of construction work of the bridge. They said they would launch an agitation if there is further delay in the construction work. In his reply, the Collector said the work has been delayed as the labourers, engineers and contractors are absent on account of Puja festivities. “As some people of Belabahali and nearby villagers are protesting the construction of the bridge, the district administration has made adequate security arrangements for which it has sought deployment of 30 platoons of armed police force. Construction work of the bridge will start very soon after the labourers and engineers return to their workplace,” the Collector added.