Sambalpur: Controversies over naming of bridges and road junctions here have put the political parties and the administration in jitters.

Much before its inauguration, the 2.5 km bridge constructed over the Hirakud dam reservoir connecting Rengali in Sambalpur district to Taalbenna in Jharsuguda district had been dragged into controversy over its name.

Some people of Brajarajnagar areas demanded the bridge to be named after communist leader and former MLA Prasanna Kumar Panda. They said Panda had raised the demand for the bridge in several forums, including in the state Assembly for the benefit of displaced people, who sacrificed the land for construction of Hirakud dam.

Some socio-cultural organisations had also formed "Prasanna Panda Smruti Committee " to strengthen their demands for naming the bridge as "Prasanna Panda Setu". Some people said the bridge should named after Prafulla Pati, educationist and former vice-chancellor of Sambalpur University.

Another section of people pleaded in favour of naming it after freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai stating that he fought against the British much before the freedom movement in India and spent 37 years in jail, the half of his life span of 74 years.

To avoid any controversy , the bridge was named as IB Bridge as it is located on the side of river Ib. It was inaugurated by the chief minister Naveen Patnaik on April 15. The second bridge over the river Mahanadi in Sambalpur town is not complete yet, but controversies have started over its name.

The 1500-metre long bridge, constructed at a cost of Rs 98 crore, will be ready by next month for its inauguration. It will create a satellite town on the other side of the Mahanadi where the government has allotted land for campus of the Indian Institute of Management, Sambalpur, second campus of the Gangadhar Meher University, Sainik School, second Kendriya Vidyalaya and second battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

A section of people have started proposing names for the bridge after poet Gangadhar Meher, another section demanded the name in favour of Sambalpuri poet Satyanarayan Bohidar.

A fresh controversy has also started over naming of Sakhipada-National Highway junction on the outskirts of the town. Some people want a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to be installed there.

The area has a lot of Christians and a church nearby and they want a statue of Mother Teresa.