Rourkela: BJP MLA Dilip Ray has once again raised his concerns about the two projects - construction of the second Brahmani bridge and making IGH a super-specialty hospital - in the city.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made promises in this regard during his two visits to the city. Ray on March 29 drew the Prime Minister's attention towards the most-awaited projects.

Reminding Modi about his promises, Ray said: "There is a strong perception amongst the people that a powerful force is trying to sabotage the entire situation thus putting the people into further inconvenience."

The bridge work is believed to be sandwiched between allegation and counter-allegation between the BJD-led state government and the BJP-led Centre. The NHAI was not initiating the work as land acquisition due to forest clearance was delaying it. However, Ray said: "The state government, on its part, has issued the forest and other clearances, and they, too, are of the view that the proposed bridge does not need any clearance. Its work should have been started by now. But it's not so because of some unknown reasons."

On the super-specialty facility, Ray said: "Many senior doctors have recently retired, and the strength of medicos from 107 has come down below 90. This is causing severe inconvenience to patients. However, the IGH is acting like a referral hospital instead of providing speciality treatment."

"It was also decided to upgrade a few branches such as cardiac, neuro and oncology, but nothing has taken place so far," he said.#Ray said he had met Modi and Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Dharmendra Pradhan six to seven times over these two issues.

Rourkela Development Authority chairman Sarada Prasad Nayak termed Ray's concern as "shedding of crocodile's tears". "When the NHAI rules stipulate that 90 per cent land acquisition is necessary to begin the work, how come Nitin Gadkari announced in June last that work on the bridge would begin within 15 days and Dilip babu clapped to that?" he asked.