TORSA BRIDGE

'World record' in procrastination

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 17: The state government made a world record in making a bridge over Torsa. From survey to construction - it took about 55 years to complete the bridge. It may be termed as a world record in procrastination too. In 1985 it was estimated that the bridge may cost about Rs 13.71-crore to be completed but till its inauguration in 2008 the total cost was Rs 67.16-crore.

 

State PWD minister Mr Kshiti Goswami inaugurated the long awaited third road bridge over Torsa river in Cooch Behar on Wednesday afternoon. The newly constructed bridge is situated between Falakata and Pundibari along National Highway-31.

 

PWD officials said that Rs 67.16-crore was spent to construct the 854-metre bridge and the 23-kilometre approach road along NH-31. The survey for the project was initiated in 1953 but the work was done by 17 years only, PWD officials claimed. During his address the PWD minister too admitted the delay in constructing the bridge.

 

The distance from Cooch Behar to Assam and Meghalaya will be shortened by 53-kilometre from now on.

 

Convener of Pundibari Torsa Setu Nirman Sangram Samity, Mr Debabrata Chaki recalled that the actual initiative to construct the much-needed bridge was taken in 1984. The work for the concrete bridge was started in 1991. Construction work was suspended in 2001 for different problems. In 2003 the PTSNSS was formed to put pressure on the authorities to resume work. An ex-member of the Parliament (now the Jalpaiguri MLA) Mr Debaprasad Roy took the initiative and in 2005 construction work was resumed, Mr Chaki said. Mentionworthy, the PTSNSS received no invitation to the inaugural ceremony.

 

Forest minister Mr Ananta Roy, minister of state (PWD) Mr Manohar Tirkey, Cooch Behar MP (Lok Sabha) Mr Hiten Barman, Ms Kumari Kujur (MLA) and sabhadhipati of Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad Mr Dilip Biswas were present at the inaugural ceremony. []