Koraput: The Malkangiri district police administration has intensified surveillance along the newly constructed bridge over the Gurupriya river with intelligence inputs revealing about a possible Maoist strike.

"Though the situation is under control, but we can't take a chance. The Maoists may try to cause damage to the bridge. Hence, security measures have been strengthened in and around it," said Malkangiri police superintendent Jagmohan Meena.

The bridge, which aims to connect around 151 villages of seven panchayats with the main land in the district, is expected to be thrown open for traffic later this month.

The police have put into place a three-tier security blanket to ensure the bridge's safety. While at least six high-resolution CCTV cameras, which could be rotated 360 degrees and powerful high-mast lights are being installed on the bridge, BSF personnel are keeping a round-the-clock vigil on the movement of people in the area.

In addition to a BSF camp each at Janbai and Bodopadar, a permanent BSF camp has also been erected at Jantapai, which lies at a distance of about 7km from the bridge to keep an eye over the movement of the Red rebels. "Also on specific inputs, long-route combing operations are being conducted," he said.

A BSF personnel engaged in the patrolling duty of the bridge said that though in day time, villagers were using the bridge, at night, it was completely closed and people roaming around the bridge were being urged to produce their identity card. Any suspicious person found in the area is being interrogated.

The work for the 910-metre-long bridge connecting Janbai north with Janbai south had been started in 2015 with an estimated cost of Rs 172.58 crore and was completed recently.

The bridge is considered to serve as a lifeline for around 30,000 villagers residing across the Balimela reservoir whose only mode of connecting with outer world is country boat.

The remoteness of the villages can be traced back to the early 60s, when vast tracts of forest land and villages were submerged and remained cut-off from the mainland to make way for the Balimela reservoir of the Balimela Hydro Project.