Bharuch, 4 March 2012

Ground breaking of a new Rs 475.26 crore six lane river bridge over Narmada river in Bharuch district will be performed on 1st of May, Gujarat day. This was announced by Gujarat Congress’s most powerful leader, Rajya Sabha MP and Political Secretary to UPA Chairperson, Shri Ahmed Patel in Bharuch.

The project was approved by the central government as early as in October 2009, but the work didn’t begin in last two and half years! Now as the general election of Gujarat assembly is scheduled to take place in December this year, and development politics it seems is the way to go, the work is likely to begin.

A new bridge will give relief to the people who are fed up with frequent traffic jam on Zadeshwar-Sardar bridge section of national highway no. 8. The problem of traffic jam is so serious on this section of highway that sometimes it takes two-three hours to pass through four km distance between Mulas cross roads and Zadeshwar cross roads.

The design of new bridge over Narmada will be similar to a second Vivekananda bridge (Nivedita bridge) of Kolkata(in photo in this article). The agency involved in building of Vivekanadna bridge will extend its help in building of a new bridge in Bharuch. Till the time the construction is completed, 50 jawans will be deployed to clear the traffic. Such jawans are given one month training by the central government. The agency for construction of new bridge will be finalized by the end of this month.

Also an old Sardar bridge will be repaired at a cost of Rs 40 crore. A contractor of new bridge will carry out this repair work. All these works will be completed within three years, said Ahmed Patel.

Ahmed Patel also declared plan to build two new over bridge over Shuklatirth and Mulad cross roads.

Addressing a group of local media persons, Shri Ahmed Patel said that proposal demanding land for construction of two hospitals has been submitted before the district Collector of Bharuch. Proposed hospital will be operated by ONGC. They will provide free treatment to poor patients. Shri Patel said that one hospital will come up in Vagra area while another will have facility of 150 bed. He said that once the land allotment procedure is completed, the construction work will start.

Shri Ahmed Patel held a meeting with Bharuch district collector and higher officials of National Highway Authority of India(NHAI) in presence of central minister Tushar Chaudhary.

Piraman village of Bharuch district is Shri Ahmed Patel’s native place. Gujarati speaking Sunni Bohra Muslim Shri Ahmed Patel won Lok Sabha election from Bharuch in past. Ahmed Patel is presently settled in Delhi, but occasionally visits Bharuch for social functions. His son has extended father’s activities here by organizing health camps, and it is believed that he could fight election here in future.