‘Concrete bridge on Doulancha River in Islampur to be constructed soon’

Raiganj: Minister of North Bengal Development department Udayan Guha has assured that the construction of a concrete bridge over the Doluncha River at Dangapara, under the Islampur police station area of North Dinajpur district will begin in the first half of the next financial year.

The announcement came during his visit to the site on Wednesday afternoon, bringing relief and joy to the local residents.

For years, the absence of a concrete bridge has forced people to rely on a bamboo-piled ‘mancha’, which becomes submerged during monsoons. This has caused severe difficulties, especially in accessing essential services in Islampur town. Residents have been compelled to take a longer route, adding 15 to 20 km to their journey, particularly when seeking healthcare at Islampur Sub-Divisional Hospital. The demand for a concrete bridge has been long-standing, with locals organising various protests, including road blockades, to press for their necessity.

Addressing their concerns, Guha stated: “We have seen the hardships faced by the people. Our engineers will soon prepare a detailed project report, and we aim to start construction in April this year.”