Bridge construction on River Godavari going on at snail's pace

Bhadrachalam: The national highway officials are reportedly contemplating to forfeit the contract as the construction works of 2.4-kilometre long new bridge on River Godavari in Bhadrachalam are going on at a snail pace.

Foundation stone was laid to the new bridge in 2014 by Union Minister of National Highways Nitin Gadkari with an estimated cost of Rs 95 crore to support the increased traffic to famous Ramalayam in Bhadrachalam, Chhattisgarh and Odisha States.

In the agreement, the national highway officials gave two years to complete the bridge, but even after six years, the bridge construction is still going on as the agency is delaying the construction.

The existing bridge, which was constructed in 1964, is unable to bear the traffic, which is almost doubled. Everyday thousands of heavy, medium and small vehicles will pass through this existing bridge.

The national highway officials gave extension for three times for the contract agency but still it failed to complete the bridge construction, said V Yugandhar, Executive Engineer of national highways. "We have imposed a fine of Rs 6.5 crore for delaying the construction on the contracting agency. But still the work is going on at a snail's pace," he stated. According to the officials, about 70 to 75 per cent works are completed and the crucial work is pending. They said two pillars and 31 slabs are yet to be constructed out of the total 38 pillars.

The Executive Engineer said the contract agency got bridge contract at a lesser amount of Rs 65 crore. Though the department had issued several notices to the contracting agency, there is no progress in the work, he added.

P Venkateswara Rao, a local of Bhadrachalam town, said that people and devotees are expected that the bridge will be completed within the time, but it's is taking very long.

BJP leader Yerram Raju Behra alleged that the agency is not following quality in work.

Locals have appealed the officials to take steps at least now to complete the bridge by the end of June this year.

According to the contracting agency, they have time till June 2021 as they got extension for the third time.