Sujit Chanda
Agartala, October 24, 2019: Long cherished demand of inhabitants of Kelreng Para for a bridge was fulfilled after local MLA cum chief Whip Kalyani Roy inaugurated a steel footbridge today. During last 25 years of Left Front rule, indigenous people of the village under Sardukarkari ADC of Teliamura block made repeated pleas to construct a footbridge over a rivulet – but for long 25 years, their demand was ignored.
During last assembly polls, Kalyani Roy made a poll promise that she would construct a footbridge over the rivulet connecting the Kerleng para, if she could win. And, within one-and-half years after BJP came to power, Kalyani Roy fulfilled the promise. At the direction of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, RD development constructed the bridge at an expenditure of Rs 70 lakh.
“Earlier, indigenous people of the village had to cross over the rivulet using precariously hanging bamboo and wood logs. It was risky for children and elderly persons. Taking a patient to the hospital was the most difficult task for the villagers”, opined an elderly villager. Around 700 people mostly belonging to ‘Kaipeng’ community reside in the area, sources said.
Kaipeng people expressed heart-felt gratitude to the Chief Minister and Kalyani Roy for constructing steel foot bridge. “We appealed to all the concerned people during Left regime – even as leaders promised to construct a bridge, they did not fulfill their promises. However, Kalyani Roy kept her words and because of her efforts, our long cherished demand was met”, said a woman after Kalyani Roy formally inaugurated the well decorated footbridge and dedicated to people of Kerleng Para.
Among others Superintendent Engineer of RD department Khushidiram Tripura and BDO Santanu Bikash Das were present in the inauguration programme. (First published in Tripura Times on Oct 24, 2019)
