Malkangiri: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday inaugurated the Gurupriya bridge over the Janbai river in the cut-off area of Chitrakonda block in Odisha’s Malkangiri district.
After arriving at the district headquarters at around 11 am in a helicopter, the Chief Minster went to the Chitrakonda and inaugurated the newly-constructed bridge amid tight security.
The 910-metre-long bridge and 1200-metre approach road on either side have been built by the Kolkata-based Royal Infraconstru Limited at an estimated cost of Rs 187.25 crore. The work began in 2014 with the deployment of Border Security Forces at both ends of the bridge.
At the core of development is connectivity. #GurupriyaSetu is a national pride & symbolises peace, cooperation & progress. It is a testimony to our commitment to integrate all parts of #Odisha to mainland & thereby to prosperity. It is our dream come true #BridgeOfProgress 2/4 pic.twitter.com/sMABBe26zb
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) July 26, 2018
The bridge will connect 151 villages with a population of about 30,000 spread over seven panchayats in the cut-off area to the mainland.
The security personnel will have a tactical advantage after completion of the bridge.
The foundation stone of the bridge was laid in 1982 by the then chief minister JB Patnaik and again by chief minister Naveen Patnaik in 2000.
#GurupriyaSetu signifies a resurgent #Odisha, will transform lives in 151 villages that were cut-off for 5 decades. It is not just a bridge, it will be the identity & Swabhiman of #Malkangiri. I dedicate this special project to people of #Odisha & India #JaiJagannath 1/4 pic.twitter.com/alrcNQejRc
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) July 26, 2018
After inaugurating the bridge, the Chief Minister returned to the district headquarters and unveiled a new 300-bed annexe on the premises of the District Headquarters Hospital.
He is scheduled to address a public meeting from the stadium. On the occasion, he will disburse stipends to the beneficiaries and distribute bicycles among school girls.
He will return to the Odisha capital later in the afternoon.
