Bhubaneswar: After missing four consecutive deadlines, the much-awaited Bomikhal railway overbridge (ROB) was inaugurated on Wednesday facilitating a three-way traffic for the people of Saheed Nagar, Bomikhal and Rasulgarh.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik opened the bridge in the presence of many dignitaries. The project was built at a cost of Rs 44 crore.
Sanctioned in 2009-10, the ROB was aimed at ensuring smooth flow of traffic between Rasulgarh, Bomikhal and Maharishi College Road that has a busy stretch of railway level crossing at Saheed Nagar.
Though the project was supposed to be completed by 2014, the bridge witnessed setbacks including land acquisition towards the Saheed Nagar side, extension towards the Bomikhal side and two incidents of bridge collapse in September 2017 and May 2018 that claimed two lives and injured several others forcing the Government to blacklist the Panda Infraprojects Pvt Ltd, the project executing firm. And the project was delayed by four years.
The extension towards Bomikhal side was planned later as it took time to complete the work on that side.
Now, with its opening, the overbridge opens a three-way traffic connecting people from Rasulgarh to Saheed Nagar to Bomikhal, besides playing a crucial role in reducing the rush on the busy Cuttack-Puri Highway.
