The condition of damaged bridges and culverts in Kanker district became a contentious issue during Question Hour on the eighth day of the Budget Session of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, with legislators raising concerns over delays in repair work and potential safety risks. BJP MLA Vikram Usendi raised the issue and sought details on the approval and completion timeline for the construction and repair of dilapidated bridges and culverts in the district. He said several culverts on the road are narrow, damaged and lack railings, posing a danger to commuters, and asked whether any accidents had occurred due to the poor condition of the structures. Responding to the question, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said the road connecting Kanker to Bhanupratappur and Pakhanjoor is an important route. He acknowledged that the work should have been completed by now but said the contractor had left the project midway, which delayed the construction. According to the minister, 114 out of 134 bridges under the project have been completed, while the remaining portions included in the contract are yet to be constructed and the matter is currently pending before the High Court.

 

Sao informed the House that 11 bridges and culverts along the route are narrow. He said the department has taken necessary steps for their repair and a letter has been sent to the regional authorities seeking approval for the remaining works. The minister added that construction of one bridge is expected to be completed by April and work on another is underway. He said the government is making continuous efforts to complete the remaining construction at the earliest. During the discussion, Congress MLA Umesh Patel asked whether any accidents had occurred due to the condition of the road and bridges. In response, Arun Sao said there was a possibility of accidents but the department had not received any official reports of such incidents from police stations so far. Patel, however, claimed that at least five accidents had already occurred on the 77/2 road, citing incidents that took place on April 30, November 11 and in December. He said accidents were happening frequently and disputed the department’s claim that no such incidents had been reported. As the discussion continued, the Speaker suggested that contractors who fail to perform their work should be blacklisted. Arun Sao reiterated that the government considers the road an important route and assured the House that efforts are being made to address the issue and complete the pending work.