Promises to keep
Promises matter in elections because voters lack rationality. As election history shows, freebies do get votes. Hitherto, it was a time tested method of electoral success for a desperate opposition.
The Bankura district administration has decided to suspend plying of heavy vehicles on the Damodar Barrage for five consecutive days as the state Irrigation department, according to the district authority, has decided to kick off major overhauling of the wretched road that leads tobof the river-bridge. Dr Umashankar S, district magistrate, Bankura, yesterday issued an order restricting the speed of vehicles on the barrage.
The Barrage on the Damodar river links Bankura with the Durgapur steel city in Burdwan (West) and also acts as the lone junction to connect districts including Midnapore (West), Jhargram and Bankura with North Bengal. The DM’s order stated, “Movements of all kinds of heavy motor vehicles restricted from 9 September to 13 September.” It further stated, “Movement of light motor vehicles allowed with speed restriction of 10 kmph to avoid accident and prevent any damage to the overhauling work.”
The executive engineer, Damodar Head-works of the state Irrigation department in Durgapur, on 5 September proposed (No: 1192, dated – 05.09.2019) to impose restriction on plying of heavy vehicles for emergency repair and restoration of the barrage road. The 692 metres long barrage set up in 1955 to prevent flood and storage of water for irrigation, industry and drinking water on the Damodar river is equipped with 34 lockgates. Lock gate No: 29 to 34 on the Barjora side approach portion in Bankura, including the portion between Gate No: 20 and 28 on the Barrage road was broken and the physical condition is poor.
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“The situation turned horrible during the monsoon and the road started causing inconvenience to motorists. So, overhauling became highly essential,” said one senior Irrigation official with the Damodar Head-works.
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