NONGSTOIN: After a wait of 20 long years, the people of Rangsapara in West Khasi Hills finally got a suspension footbridge over River Tyrsung on Monday.
The footbridge constructed under the Inter-State Border Area Development Programme (ISBADP) 2015-16, implemented by Border Areas Development Department at an estimated cost of Rs 13 lakh was inaugurated by Rambrai Jyrngam legislator K P Pangniang in the presence of West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner S. Kharlyngdoh and BAD officer A. Lyngdoh.
During the inauguration, Pangniang lauded the effort of the Border Area Development Officer, A. Lyngdoh, for completing the construction of the bridge.
Pangniang said Lyngdoh witnessed the problems of the people there and was determined to complete the construction of the bridge that was hanging fire for 20 years. Highlighting a joint effort of every villager, Pangniang said he expected the people’s co-operation in maintaining the footbridge. He added that his foremost goal was to develop the border area.
The construction of the footbridge started in 1996 at an estimated cost of Rs 1.50 lakh. Later, former Mawshynrut legislator Pondit Sangma sanctioned Rs 5 lakh for the completion of the footbridge in 2009-10 but the project did not materialise. The wooden bridge over the Tyrsum was washed away by a flash flood in 2014 causing immense hardship to the locals. Finally, the BAD took over the project in 2015.
