Alipurduar, Oct. 24 -- A new bridge constructed by the Alipurduar Zilla Parishad (ZP) at an estimated cost of Rs 60 lakh was inaugurated at Mendabari, providing much-needed connectivity to nearly 10,000 residents. The bridge will benefit people from Paschim Satali, Baniya Basti and Baniyapara, who previously had to take a five-kilometre detour to access hospitals, schools, the district headquarters and other daily needs.
Responding to long-standing local demands, the Zilla Parishad built a 12-metre-long, 3-metre-wide bridge over the Baniya River in Paschim Satali of Mendabari Gram Panchayat, Kalchini Block, at a cost of around Rs 57,55,259. An approach road costing Rs 10,77,707 was also constructed to improve accessibility.
The bridge was inaugurated on Friday by Sabhadhipati Snigdha Saib, in the presence of the local Panchayat head and other Zilla Parishad officials.
Sabhadhipati Snigdha Saib said: "This bridge, funded by the Fifteenth Finance Commission at Rs 57 lakh, along with the approach road funded by the Fifth Finance
Commission at Rs 10 lakh, will benefit not only nearby villages but also nearly 20,000 people from surrounding areas who travel to Satali and Mendabari regularly."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.