Cuttack: The Cuttack district administration today clamped section 144 CrPC at Dhabaleswar shrine for the repair of the suspension bridge over the river Mahanadi connecting the shrine.
“The experts who came from Mumbai and Kolkata following inspection have advised for urgent repair of the suspension bridge. They have advised for a complete shutdown of the bridge. So, therefore, the administration after taking into consideration all aspects decided to completely shut down the bridge,” informed Athagarh Sub Collector Hemant Kumar Swain.
Swain said that since around 40,000 to 50,000 devotees are visiting Dhabaleswar shrine daily and they cannot be ferried in boats so therefore the shrine is closed for devotees for now.
“The visit of devotees to the shrine is prohibited till further orders. Section 144 CrPC has been imposed till further orders from Rural Development Department,” Swain added.
The decision to impose section 144 was taken following a meeting held at the Dhabaleswar shrine which was attended by Sub Collector Athagarh, Tahasildar Athagarh, officers of the Rural Development Department, Choudwar SDPO, Additional SP, local Sarpanch, and officials of other departments.
Notably, following the collapse of the suspension bridge in Gujarat’s Morbi on Sunday evening when about 400 people were on the bridge over the Machhu river killing more than 140 people so far, the Odisha government woke up and closed down the suspension bridge over the Mahanadi river in Dhabaleswar in Cuttack district.
