Bhubaneswar, June 30 -- The historic Atharanala Bridge in Odisha's Jajpur district is facing neglect and safety concerns as heavy vehicles continue to ply on the centuries-old heritage structure instead of on the already-built alternative road.

Although an alternative bow-shaped bridge was constructed to protect the bridge, it has still not become fully operational. As a result, the existence of the historic bridge is now under threat.

When people hear the name Atharanala, Puri's famous bridge often comes to mind. However, Jajpur also has an ancient Atharanala Bridge, which is believed to be even older than the one in Puri, said a local.

The protection of Jajpur's historic Atharanala Bridge is now limited only to signboards. This bridg...