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Stir over bridge hits traffic on highway

BERHAMPUR: The road communication between Rayagada and Parlakhemundi was disrupted on Friday due to road blockade at Gumuda in Rayagada district by the Gumuda Sethu Nirman Samiti. It was demanding speedy reconstruction of the bridge across the Bansadhara river near Gumuda. The bridge at the spot on the State highway connecting Bhubaneswar and Koraput was washed away by flood water during the last monsoon. The agitators cut down large trees to block the road near Gumuda.

The agitators called off their road blockade in the evening after written assurance by Rayagada District Collector Krishna Gopal that the global tenders for the reconstruction of the bridge would be called by January next. The Collector had to rush to the spot to pacify the agitators.

Leaders of all major political parties of the area took part in the agitation. Congress MLA of Gunupur Hema Gamang and former BJP MLA of the area Ram Murty Gamang sat on hunger strike at Gumuda demanding quick measures to construct the bridge. With elections round the corner, politicians had started realised that this washed away bridge would be a major issue in the area.

The bridge across the Bansadhara river, which was washed away last year near Gumuda, on the highway was an important link for vehicles plying between Bhubaneswar and Koraput. After its collapse, buses plying between Berhampur-Rayagada and Bhubaneswar-Jeypore are now skipping Gumuda and making a detour travelling 40 km more.

The vanished bridge has also affected life in the area, as the villages near Gumuda, which were dependent on the town are not finding it easy to reach it. The affected people include school and college students and small traders. The affected people had formed the Gumuda Sethu Nirman Samiti to demand speedy revival of the washed away bridge.

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