Kota 'hanging bridge' a boon for people in Hadouti region

A six-lane, cable-stayed bridge over the Chambal river in Kota, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, will benefit the residents of Hadouti region of Rajasthan.
The much-awaited 'hanging bridge' will help ease traffic congestion in Kota city and reduce travel time, officials said.
The work on the 1.4-km bridge started in November, 2006. The construction had to be halted for five years after one of its pillars collapsed killing at least 48 people, including two engineers, in December, 2009. The work resumed in 2014.
Hitting out at the previous government for the delay in completion of the Rs 277.67-crore project, Modi said, "The bridge in Kota could not be completed in 11 years. Finally, our government took the challenge and completed it."

After inaugurating the bridge via video-conference from Udaipur, he said that it showed the difference between his dispensation and the previous government.
The bridge is a part of the East-West Corridor of the Golden Quadrangle Project of the National Highways Authority of India.

The opening of cable-stayed bridge in Kota completes the work on the 3,300-km East-West Corridor, which will connect 14 National Highways passing through seven states and 28 prime cities of the country, said Nitin Gadkari, the Union minister for road transport, highways and shipping.
The 'hanging bridge' will facilitate a smooth movement of vehicles from Porbandar in Gujarat to Silchar in Assam.

As an alligator sanctuary falls under the bridge over the Chambal River, a 700-metre stretch of the bridged has been suspended with cables, thus giving it the name, "hanging bridge".
Thousands of people in Kota today watched the inaugural ceremony via video-conference. Local MP Om Birla and MLAs Sandeep Sharma and Chandra Kanta Meghwal were present.
The 'hanging bridge' will accelerate the pace of development and generate employment opportunities for local people, Birla said.
A large number of people, with families and friends, thronged the cable-stayed bridge for a selfie.