Sambalpur: The second bridge over the Mahanadi near Kacheri Chowk of the town is almost ready for inauguration.

The bridge, a dream project of the people of Sambalpur and Charpur on the other side of the river, will create a new satellite town. The new town is emerging as an educational hub and residential zone for various categories of people.

"The bridge is almost ready. The construction of its approach road is under progress. We are giving finishing touch to the civil work," the public works department's assistant executive engineer Nayayan Patel told The Telegraph.

The state government has approved the proposal submitted by the works department to light up the bridge colourfully by spending Rs 80 lakh. The detailed project report has been prepared, and the work in this regard will start shortly, official sources said.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will throw open the bridge for the people of west Odisha after Nuakhai, the biggest festival of the people of this region. The approach road on the Kacheri Chowk will be about 300 metres long, while on the Charpur side, the road will be about 1,200 metres long.

The Rs 100-crore worth project is 1,500 metres long and 14.8 metres wide with 1.5 metres wide footpaths on both the sides. The bridge will reduce the distance between Sambalpur town and Charpur by 25km. It will also reduce the distance to Bargarh about 25km. Naveen had laid the foundation stone of the bridge in January 2015. It had initially been expected to be completed in 36 months, but the construction company missed the deadlines on several occasions.

The Sambalpur district administration has drawn up a massive satellite township plan on the other side of the river, allotting government land to various educational institutions.

Constructions for the building of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur, the second battalion of the Central Reserved Police Force (CRPF) of Odisha and the second Kendriya Vidyalaya have started. Land has also been allotted for the second campus of the Gangadhar Meher University, Odisha State Open University and Sainik school.

The Sambalpur Development Authority has decided to come up with housing schemes for economically weaker sections of the society at Charpur. Land will also be allotted to the Odisha State Housing Board for construction of flats for various categories of people.