With several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) announcing to observe the fourth death anniversary of Jagraon Bridge as a symbolic protest against the municipal corporation (MC) and railway department on July 14, mayor Balkar Sandhu and MC commissioner Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar on Thursday inspected the ongoing work of the bridge and directed the contractor to complete it by June 30.
Under the project, the MC has to construct the retaining wall of the bridge and increase the width of roads approaching the railway overbridge (from gurdwara Dukhniwaran side towards Durga Mata Mandir) by three metres. The MC had earlier started the construction work on January 30 and it was due to be completed by April 14, but the project was halted after the curfew was announced by the state government on March 23.
The construction work restarted on April 29 and it was said that the work is expected to complete by June 20.
‘CURFEW LED TO DELAY IN CONSTRUCTION’
Accompanied by area councillor Rakesh Prashar, mayor Sandhu said, “The contractor faced problems due to the unavailability of material while curfew was imposed in the state. However, the contractor has now been directed to complete the work by June 30 otherwise action will be taken against him and the officials concerned.”
Rahul Verma, an NGO member, said, “We will be happy to celebrate the opening of the bridge on July 14 this year as for the last three years, we have been observing its death anniversary. However, if the authorities fail to complete the project this time also, the NGOs will again observe death anniversary of the bridge that is known as lifeline of the city.”
{{/usCountry}}Rahul Verma, an NGO member, said, “We will be happy to celebrate the opening of the bridge on July 14 this year as for the last three years, we have been observing its death anniversary. However, if the authorities fail to complete the project this time also, the NGOs will again observe death anniversary of the bridge that is known as lifeline of the city.”
{{/usCountry}}In July 2016, the railways department had closed one leg of Jagraon Bridge that was leading to traffic chaos in the city. Since then, residents have been pressurising the district administration to expedite the construction work of the bridge. So far, three death anniversaries of the bridge have been observed as a symbolic protest against the authorities.