Minister to inaugurate bridge constructed a decade ago

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 1 APRIL: The state’s PWD minister,  Mr Kshiti Goswami will inaugurate the Ashapur Bridge, constructed a decade ago over the river Mahananda in Chanchal, on 4 April.

Though the purpose of the bridge was to shorten the distance connecting North Malda and North Dinajpur but there is doubt the bridge would not serve the main purpose.

This is mainly because the connecting roads on either sides of bridge in both districts are narrow and they have no capacity to bear of load of heavy vehicles.

The bridge is not directly connected with the state highways for plying heavy vehicles including buses.

The administrations took eight years to complete the connecting roads on both sides.The Kharba Congress MLA Mr Asif Mehbub said: “Sabhadhipati of both the districts held a meeting and decided to widen the roads connecting the bridge so that heavy vehicles can ply on the bridge”.

“I would also request the PWD minister and other ministers including Mr Srikumar Mukherjee to look into the matter”, said Mr Mehbub.

The connecting road at Dakshin Kaliganj village in Chanchal is very bad. At present only small and medium vehicles ply on the road.

In North Dinajpur side, nearly four km roads between Mahadebpur to Churaman in Itahar do not have capacity to bear load of heavy vehicles.

Besides, Mr Kshiti Goswami, Mr Subash Naskar, state irrigation minister, Mr Sailen Sarkar, minister for environment , Mr Srikumar Mukherjee , minister of state for civil defence, and other political leaders and people’s representatives and government officials will be present there.

It may be noted that on 4 April morning, Mr Goswami and other officials will also inaugurate second Mahananda Bridge in English Bazaar town which connects Sahapur in Old Malda.

The bridge was completed in 2008 but due to various reasons the bridge was not inaugurated officially. However, small and medium vehicles ply on the bridge since the last one year.