The proposed second bridge over river Brahmani near Rourkela finally received the Central Government’s nod with Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari assuring the State Government to begin work for the project by June-end.
In response to a letter of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Gadkari wrote to the State Government on Tuesday stating, ‘Tender for the project has already been floated and last date of submission of bids is June 12, 2017. I am sure we will be able to finish all necessary legal process of award within June and lay foundation by end of June 2017IJ.
The Union Minister also assured to convert the bridge from two-lane to six-lane as per the request of local MP and Union Minister Jual Oram, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Rourkela MlA Dilip Ray.
“They requested that earlier 2-lane project was not sufficient keeping in view growth of traffic in that area and socio-economic importance of the road. Therefore, accepting their intervention, I have directed my Ministry to enlarge the scale of project and the bridge has been converted to six-lane along with four-lane road up to Birmitrapur,” Gadkari mentioned in the letter.
It might be mentioned that Rourkela MlA Ray had been upset over the delay in construction of the second bridge and vented his feelings before the media.
