Cooch Behar, May 25 -- Newly elected BJP MLA from Tufanganj, Malti Rava Roy, has stepped up efforts to fulfil one of her major poll promises - the construction of the long-awaited Jaldhoya Bridge over the Raidak River.
On Monday, the MLA conducted a detailed inspection of the proposed bridge site from Shaldanga to the Rampur border. She was accompanied by senior officials and engineers from the BDO office, BLRO, SDLRO and PWD departments. The team surveyed the proposed alignment on foot to assess the feasibility of the project and expedite the initial groundwork.
The visit created excitement among local residents, many of whom have been demanding the bridge for decades. Villagers expressed hope after witnessing the MLA personally supervising the inspection and taking visible steps toward implementing the project.
Speaking to reporters after the visit, Malti Rava Roy criticised the previous Left Front and Trinamool Congress governments, accusing them of neglecting the project for years.
"For the last 34 years under the Left Front and 15 years under the Trinamool Congress government, the people of Tufanganj were repeatedly given false assurances regarding the Jaldhoya Bridge. Though the Trinamool government mentioned the bridge in the 2024 budget, no actual work was carried out," she alleged. Highlighting the hardships faced by local residents due to the absence of a bridge, the MLA said students, patients and common people are often forced to travel nearly 80 kilometres to reach administrative offices such as the BDO and SDO offices.
"The days of suffering are over. I am committed to ensuring that the Jaldhoya Bridge is constructed during my tenure," she asserted. The MLA's active field-level involvement has generated fresh hope among residents and triggered widespread discussion across the Tufanganj region.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.