Dilapidated British-era bridge, sluggish construction of new bridge give nightmares to commuters in Balasore

The construction of the new Nuniajodi Bridge in Balasore, designed to connect northern areas of the district to the main town, has been allegedly met with prolonged delays. 

The old bridge, which was constructed during the British colonial era, is reportedly in a precarious condition now with every passing day increasing the risk of accidents due to the consistent flow of heavy vehicles.

"Though the administration has already announced the abandonment of the British colonial era bridge, heavy vehicles are still passing on it. As a result, there is a heavy risk of accident," rued Suryakant Kar, a resident of Balasore.

"Residents in Balasore are facing difficulties due to the tardy progress of the newly constructed bridge. We have no clue why there is so much delay in the construction of the new bridge," said Soumya Ranjan Jena, another resident of Balasore.

Completion Date Uncertain

As per reports, residents are becoming increasingly anxious over the uncertain completion timeline of the newly constructed bridge. 

The new bridge project, which aimed to alleviate traffic congestion, has reportedly left the community of as many as five blocks heavily reliant on the deteriorating old structure. Severe traffic jams are a regular occurrence, with vehicles often being seen queued for hours.

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Work on the new bridge commenced in 2023 with an initial budget of Rs 47 crore. Despite an initial completion promised for May 2025, authorities have extended this deadline to October 26. Yet, progress remains unsatisfactory, and costs continue to rise.

Official Response

In light of these difficulties, district Collector Suryabansi Mayur Bikash has visited the site, emphasising the urgency of bringing the construction to a prompt conclusion. 

According to the district Collector, efforts are being monitored to ensure the safety of commuters and reduce the day-to-day disruptions caused by the delays.

"We have already instructed the executive agency to speed up the bridge work. Efforts are being made to complete the construction work soon," said Bikash.