Agartala: Oct 10: In line with the state government’s commitment, the construction of the Chontnil-Sonamara concrete bridge over the Manu River in Kailashahar began in 2019, led by the Public Works Department. This bridge has significantly reduced the travel distance by 2.5 kilometers, eliminating the need for a 5-kilometer detour. On Thursday, the state’s Chief Minister, Professor Dr. Manik Saha, inaugurated the bridge, fulfilling a long-awaited aspiration of the Kailashahar residents.
The bridge has notably shortened the distance between the Kailashahar and Chandipur constituencies. Following the bridge inauguration, Dr. Saha laid the foundation stone for a 200-bed youth hostel near the ITI hostel in Durgapur. Funded by the Youth and Sports Department, this hostel will cost 16 crores and is expected to be completed within 23 months. The 167-meter bridge itself cost approximately 22 crores.
Chief Minister Dr. Saha was joined by Minister Tinku Roy, District Council Chairperson Amalendu Das, District Council Member Bimal Kar, and other officials. Later, Dr. Saha attended the inauguration of the Shreerampur Sanghati Sarbajanin Durga Puja Committee’s puja pandal.
Dr. Saha also inaugurated the largest puja pandal in the undivided North district, themed ‘Indian culture at the Italian Royal Palace’. Minister Tinku Roy, representing the Chandipur constituency, highlighted the puja’s seventh year, organized without any donations. He emphasized the efforts of the youth workers in the Chandipur constituency, who have taken full responsibility for the event, including lighting and decoration, and have funded the pandal construction themselves. Additionally, Minister Roy distributed clothes to over 5,000 people in the constituency to ensure everyone could participate in the festivities.
In his address, Chief Minister Dr. Saha reiterated the significance of the Chontnil-Sonamara Bridge in reducing travel distance and mentioned the upcoming inauguration of the Udaipur youth hostel. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership for these developments and assured that the government would continue to overcome challenges and work towards the state’s progress.
