CM To Inaugurate Gurupriya Bridge On July 26

Malkangiri: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the Gurupriya bridge over the Janbai river in the cut-off area of Chitrakonda block in Odisha’s Malkangiri district on July 26.

Informing the media on Monday, BJD district president and Malkangiri MLA Manas Madkami said the bridge was scheduled to be inaugurated on July 18. However, it was cancelled due to incessant rain in the district.

The 910-metre bridge, which has been opened for the people, connects 151 villages with a population of about 30,000, spread over seven panchayats in the cut-off area, with the mainland.

He also said that the Chief Minister, during his one-day visit, will also inaugurate a 300-bedded newly-constructed annexe of the district headquarters hospital.

While the district administration and the police have made necessary arrangements for the Chief Minister’s visit, the Congress has given Chitrakonda bandh call on July 26 opposing it.

In view of the protest by the Maoists against the inauguration of the bridge by the Chief Minister, elaborate security arrangements have been made in areas around the Gurupriya bridge to keep a close watch on the movement of the Left-wing extremists.