Mancherial: Congress MLA draws criticism for suggesting costlier bridge over proposed one

The Cong govt recently accorded administrative sanction to a high-level bridge across Godavari river between Mulkalla village in Hajipur of Mancherial district and Murmur village of Anthargagon mandal spending Rs.450 crore.

Mancherial: Local MLA K Premsagar Rao is facing severe criticism for coming up with a proposal for a bridge that would cost more without tangible advantages over another high-level bridge across Godavari river, which was already sanctioned.

The Congress government recently accorded administrative sanction to a high-level bridge across Godavari river between Mulkalla village in Hajipur of Mancherial district and Murmur village of Anthargagon mandal spending Rs.450 crore. This was after cancelling plans for a bridge proposed by the previous BRS government across the same river between Mancherial town and Anthargaon village. The driving force behind the current government’s decision to grant the facility and cancel the previous plan was local MLA Premsagar Rao.

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It was former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao who announced a high-level bridge across Godavari connecting Mancherial town with Anthargaon mandal centre, while addressing a poll rally in Naspur mandal centre in 2018. The estimated cost was Rs 125 crore, later enhanced to Rs.164 crore. The tendering process and soil test were completed in 2023. However, the work on the bridge did not take off due to multiple reasons, including the elections.

The travelling distance between Mancherial and Peddapalli towns would have been reduced by 20 km if that bridge was built, saving money and fuel for people travelling to Hyderabad. The existing route is via Godavarikhani and Ramagundam before connecting to Peddapalli.

However, Premsagar Rao managed to convince the government to sanction another bridge at Mulkalla village by scrapping the existing plan. He cited that the traffic in the town would go up if the existing plan for a bridge between Mancherial and Anthargaon was taken further and instead, proposed another bridge at Mulkalla as an alternative option. Former MLA N Diwakar Rao raised objection to the move, pointing out that the travelling distance from Mancherial town to Peddapalli would be reduced by just 5 km as against 20 km if the bridge was constructed at the proposed site. He alleged that Premsagar Rao cancelled the bridge to mint commissions from contractors and to benefit certain realtors in Hajipur mandal.

At the same time, barely 15 acres of land was required for the bridge if constructed between Mancherial town and Anthargaon. However, 100 acres of land was going to be acquired for the creation of this bridge at Mulkalla and Murmur villages. Already, farmers in Hajipur mandal, who are up against acquisition of lands for NH 63, are opposing the bridge.