VIJAYAWADA: Locals of tiny villages in
Dr BR Ambedkar
Konaseema district named a bridge after the
district collector
Himanshu Shukla as he resolved their decades-long trouble in crossing the river. The bridge named as Shukla varadhi constructed between Mamidikuduru-Appanapalli was inaugurated by Shukla amidst fanfare of the villagers. The villagers were virtually on cloud nine on completion of the new bridge within months after the district collector’s promise.
District collector Shukla noticed the bridge in dilapidated condition during one of his visits to Mamidikuduru mandal about a year ago and decided to get it reconstructed.
Following the district collector’s instructions, the engineering officials prepared the estimations. District collector Shukla, who is known to be an innovative officer in resolving public grievances, had himself pooled up Rs 54 lakh from local private and public sector firms and individuals as he found that the bridge was very crucial for public movement between four villages.
He wanted to complete the project as early as possible as the complete collapse of the bridge would cut off the road connection to four villages-Pedapatnam, Pedapatnam Lanka, Appanapalli and Doddavaram. This bridge would also facilitate handling the rescue operations including evacuation of people during the floods. Curiously, the district collector had also got CC roads constructed on both sides of the bridge for hassle-free movement of public transport and cargo vehicles. He also got the local mandal parishad to release Rs 5.4 lakh as a matching grant to complete the work which ensured local public participation.
Local legislator Kondeti Chittibabu praised the district collector Shukla’s dedication to completing the bridge. He said that it would have taken a decade to complete such work. “I am fortunate to work in Dr Ambedkar Konaseema district where people love every official who works for their welfare and development. This region developed only with the active participation of the locals,” said Shukla.
He said that he wanted to take up the bridge as it was very crucial for transport facilities between the four villages. ZPTC members Anjibabu, Gannavarapu Srinivas Rao, Rajole ZPTC Matta Sailaj, Sakhinetipalli ZPTC Annapurna, MPTC K Vanaja Kumar, Kadali Padma, Sarpanches G Durga Nageswara Rao, G Mangalakshmi Venkateswara Rao and Bonthu Neelima Chandramohan were present during the inauguration of the bridge.
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