Work on Kusei bridge to begin today

Anandpur: The construction work of a new bridge on Kusei river near Belabahali village of Anandpur sub division in Keonjhar district would begin today amid tight security.

According to sources, elaborate security arrangements have been made at the proposed construction site to avoid any untoward incident.

Twenty platoons of armed policemen and five local magistrates would be deployed near the construction site to ensure uninterrupted work. Section 144 has been clamped in the area, the sources added.

Notably, the people of Belabahali and nearby villages had clashed with the police on July 7 last year while protesting the decision of the NHAI and the district administration to construct a new bridge on NH-215. Supporting the demand of the villagers, the Congress and the BJP had also protested the construction of the proposed bridge.

While the villagers were hopeful that their demand for relocation of the bridge site would be considered, a notification for construction of a new bridge by the Centre issued on June 15 this year has put paid to any such hope.