Cuttack: The public works department's roads and buildings division spent nearly Rs 147 crore in two-and-a-half years to build the Madhusudan Setu over the Mahanadi river that was opened to the public last month.

However, it did not include street lights in its project blueprint and there was no provision for the lights in the funds sanctioned to construct the bridge.

As a result, the Madhusudan Setu - named after Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das - plunges into darkness after sunset every day. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the 2.53km long bridge on April 1.

Official sources said the roads and buildings division had not prepared an estimate for street lights as no plan was made for it.

"An estimate for lights on the Madhusudan Setu will be prepared and the proposal sent to the government for approval shortly," an official of the roads and buildings' Cuttack division said on condition of anonymity.

The estimate-proposal is expected to be for solar powered street lights and installation of light posts designed to be conducive to attach CCTV cameras in the future.

The delay in lighting up the bridge also figured at the last monthly meeting of the Traffic Management Committee for Cuttack, constituted by Orissa High Court.

"The roads and buildings authority has been asked to take steps to illuminate the facility," assistant commissioner of police (traffic) Pradeep Dalai said.

"Lack of lighting on the bridge is a cause for concern to us as it involves the safety of commuters on the bridge," he said.

The new bridge has opened up a direct link from Khurda (via Pithapali) to Dhenkanal through Cuttack. Besides, devotees to Dhabaleswar Temple no longer have to cross the river in boats from Chahata in Cuttack. It has also reduced the distance between Cuttack and Dhenkanal by 16km.