RAJAHMUNDRY/VIJAYAWADA: A newly constructed bridge at a village in Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district has been named after district collector Himanshu Shukla.
This is the second such incident in the district in the last six months, after a bridge connecting Mamidi Kuduru and Appanapalli villages was named ‘Shukla Varadhi’ in January this year.
In what can be called a nice example of community-driven development, the new bridge connecting Lutukurru and Pasarlapudi villages in the district has been named ‘Himanshu Shukla Rama Setu’.
The resolution to name the bridge after the district collector was unanimously passed by the gram panchayat to acknowledge the officer’s tireless efforts and commitment to the project.
Total construction cost a little over ₹1 cr
The construction, which is said to have cost a little over 1 crore, was made possible through various grants, which include 25 lakh from the MPLads fund, 35 lakh from zilla parishad, and 41.02 lakh from dist mineral fund.
The construction of the bridge started when the villagers met Shukla and voiced their grievance, who immediately accompanied them to assess the situation himself. Realising the urgency to address the needs of locals, the collector swung into action to mobilise the resources and started construction work, which he supervised himself. The project will benefit the villages of Lutukurru, Komarada, Makannapalem, Adurru, Madakapalli, and Gogannamatham villages, which come under Pasharlapudi Lanka gram panchayat in Mamidi Kuduru mandal.
The 75ft-long 25.6ft-wide bridge is set to transform the lives of around 15,000 people from seven villages in the area by providing them a direct commute link to Amalapuram town. The villagers earlier faced numerous challenges due to the dilapidated condition of the old gravel path, which used to become a death trap during rains.
Talking to TOI, Shukla said the bridge is a long-cherished dream of people of the area. “I only did my job to mobilise the resources and initiate the construction work. The effort is all theirs. They deserve all credit,” he said.
District panchayat officer Rambabu said the new bridge would ensure proper drainage of water, thereby preventing recurring flooding of crop fields. The foundation stone was laid in March, marking the beginning of a project that symbolises progress and community spirit.
