Pandua bridge delay hits thousands in Jajpur; villagers urge Odisha CM’s intervention

Villagers on both sides of the Pandua river continue to depend on boats for daily travel as the under-construction Pandua bridge remains unfinished even after five years, causing persistent inconvenience across the Bari Assembly segment in Odisha’s Jajpur district. 

While Angalo and Madhusudanpur lie on one side of the river, residents of Kalamatia, Dhihabarin and Anyaspur on the opposite bank face ongoing hardship due to the lack of connectivity.

According to reports, construction of the bridge began in 2019 at a cost of Rs 26 crore to connect Bari and Binjharpur blocks and improve access between the Jajpur (Biraja) and Kendrapara (Tulasi) constituencies. 

However, despite the passage of time and a change of two MLAs in Bari, progress remains stalled, with villagers continuing to pay Rs 30 for boat travel and Rs 40 when transporting motorbikes. Locals report that accidents frequently occur during river crossings.

Locals Express Plight

Expressing his frustration, a resident, Pratap Mallick said, “Students are facing immense difficulties in reaching their institutions, and we are also struggling to access our region. Travelling to our village via Jajpur adds another 80 kilometres, which creates even more problems for us. We have to pay Rs 30 to travel by boat; and if we carry bikes, the charge becomes Rs 40 each time. We request CM Mohan Majhi to take note of the issue and resolve it soon so that everyone dependent on this route can benefit.”

On the other side, due to land acquisition issues, the bridge remains incomplete, reportedly. The Jajpur District Collector stated that steps will be taken to resolve the land-related issues and complete the bridge.

Jajpur Collector and District Magistrate Ambar Kar said, “The land acquisition projects that are still pending have been listed, and the Pandua bridge is included in that list. We have been instructed to conduct meetings regarding major projects that remain held up due to land acquisition issues, and we have been holding these meetings on the 6th of every month. We have identified around 53 such projects.”