Ranchiites can hope to commute via the new bridge over Distillery Nullah in Kokar within a week.
Built at a cost of Rs 2 crore, the 80-feet-long and 66-feet-wide link on Kokar-Lalpur-Albert Ekka Road runs parallel to the old one and is almost ready for use. The approach roads - a 50-feet stretch on the eastern side and another of 100 feet on the western - have been wrapped up as well.
It also has a five-feet wide footpath running along its entire length.
Though barricades on both ends currently restrict its use, some people were seen walking on the bridge on Tuesday.
"We chose to ignore the barricade and take the bridge to save time. Though the road construction department has not thrown it open for public, I did not see any risk in using the bridge, which is completely new and looked too inviting. It is shorter than the diversion built in April last year when construction of the bridge started and an alternative route was required for the benefit of commuters headed to Lalpur Chowk from Kokar Chowk and vice-versa," said Vivek Pathak, a resident of Kokar Industrial Area.
When contacted, executive engineer of road construction department Sanay Kumar Sinha confirmed that the bridge was almost ready for use.
"Construction of the bridge and approach roads has been completed. We just have to apply a layer of bitumen on the approach roads and construct a drain. Work is in progress. We expect it to get over in three-four days after which the bridge will be opened for public use," he said.
Deputy mayor of Ranchi Sanjeev Vijayvargiya, a resident of Kokar, welcomed the development, saying that he would also want a divider from Lalpur Chowk to Kokar Chowk.
"Now that the bridge is ready, we are planning to extend the divider on both sides - one going towards Kokar and another to Lalpur so that the entire 2km stretch looks good. The work is not difficult as it can be done after demolishing some of the temporary structures. I already wrote to the chief minister's office, chief secretary and urban development department about this three months ago," the deputy mayor added.
Construction of the bridge was undertaken when the old one became dilapidated. The tender was floated on July 7, 2015, and it was finalised on August 14, 2015.
