Pokhariput overbridge to be thrown open to public tomorrow

Bhubaneswar: The much-awaited Pokhariput overbridge that would connect Pokhariput, Jagamara, Sundarpada, Bhimtangi and Old Town here will be thrown open to the public tomorrow.

While the Works department has completed all preparations, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the flyover tomorrow.

Sources said construction work of the rail overbridge that had begun six years ago in 2012 was completed in the first week of this month.The 653-metre bridge, executed by Panda Infra, the same agency that had undertaken the Bomikhal overbridge project, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 32.55 crore.

It may be mentioned here that the bridge was scheduled to be completed in 2014; however, several issues like land acquisition and encroachment led to the delay in its completion. After settlement of all legal issues in 2017, the construction work had resumed in full swing.

“After completion, the bridge was first scheduled to be inaugurated on August 10 but later postponed to August 17 due to busy schedule of the CM. The inauguration programme was again rescheduled for August 23 after demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” said a senior official of Works department.