Five years back, a bridge was washed out over a streamlet in Kandhamal district which connected villages Telapalli and Sikulapadar of Phiringia block. Villagers depended on the bridge to come to Phiringia block to meet their daily needs. Students of Sikulapadar depended upon the bridge to come to school at Telapalli.
As the bridge was damaged totally, the villagers have demand a new
bridge for smooth communication. Considering the genuineness of the
demand, the district administration had sanctioned Rs 4 lakh under the
BKGY in 2016-17 financial year. One contractor of Phiringia block had
started work on December 15, 2016.
But to utter surprise, the same work was started at a wrong place which is a distance of 50 meters from the original place. It came to be known while the two side walls’ work was about to be finished.
Following this, resentment spread among the villagers. The administration directed Phiringia block JE to inquire the matter.
As the inquiry confirmed that the bridge was constructed at a wrong place, the bill of the contractor was stopped. Meanwhile, no work has
been started till date on the stream for which the villagers are crossing the Nala by wading through water. During rainy season, the road communication is totally disrupted and the panchayat and block remain cut off from Phulbani district headquarters.
After long last, an estimate of Rs 70 lakh was sent for a bridge on the stream and Rs 40 lakh has been sanctioned. BDO PhiringiaRashmiRanjanMahanta said the tender procedure has been completed and very soon, the construction work would begin.