Munger: District magistrate Anand Sharma surprised public representatives and junior officials on Sunday when he visited Bariarpur and Haveli Kharagpur blocks in the district, 225km east of Patna, and interacted with them on the problems they face at the ground.

"I visited the Ghorghat bridge construction site in Bariapur block of the district on Sunday and spoke to the landowners who were proving 'hurdles' in the project. I tried my best to resolve the stalemate by persuading them to vacate the land for the project and accept the compensation for the plots acquired by the district administration," Sharma told The Telegraph on Monday. "I hope the construction work will start within two weeks."

Block officials and other public representatives were present at the inspection with all the relevant files.

"The National Highways Authority of India started the bridge project at an estimated cost of Rs 9.74 crore in 2012. The agency assigned the job completed construction of three pillars in Bhagalpur district but work on pillars falling in the Munger district could not be started because of land acquisition problems," said an official of the Munger district administration.

"In the absence of the Ghorghat bridge these past 10 years and more, passengers and businessmen in the district headquarters town are the worst sufferers. Heavy vehicles, including buses, coaches and trucks carrying foodgrain and eatables, can't take the damaged Ghorghat road. Their only option is to travel an additional 80km to reach Bhagalpur from Munger via other routes," Bariarpur businessman Gopal Sao told The Telegraph on Monday.

District magistrate Sharma spoke to the people in Haveli Kharagpur about their problems and directed block officials to complete ongoing welfare schemes on priority.