Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt plans to construct 1,750 bridges over the next five years to plug missing links on rural roads across the state, with an estimated allocation of around Rs 11,800 crore.Under Setu Bandhan Yojana (SBY), 350 bridges are targeted for construction every year. The plan was detailed in guidelines issued for the scheme on Thursday.The govt has extended SBY, earlier known as Biju Setu Yojana, for another five-year period from 2026-27 to 2030-31 to improve rural connectivity. “The scheme aims to eliminate critical unbridged gaps on roads under the rural development department and key panchayat samiti roads,” said a resolution issued by the rural development department.As per guidelines, the programme will cover 3,167 bridge projects, comprising 1,417 ongoing spillover works and 1,750 new projects. The govt has proposed an allocation of Rs 2,200 crore for 2026-27 and Rs 2,400 crore each year for next four years.Officials said several rural areas in Odisha face seasonal disruption during monsoon because of the state’s extensive network of rivers, drainage channels and tidal streams. The proposed bridges are expected to ensure all-weather connectivity, improve access to healthcare, education and markets, and reduce travel time and transport costs.The scheme will be implemented in all districts, with priority given to remote, tribal and aspirational regions. Officials said the bridge network, once completed, would help reduce seasonal isolation and create better socio-economic opportunities in rural areas. Rural works organisation will execute the projects. A two-tier quality monitoring system and third-party evaluation at the end of the five-year period have been proposed to maintain standards and assess the socio-economic impact of the scheme.The rural development department has also issued guidelines for a five-year bridge-cum-weir scheme, with an outlay of Rs 600 crore, to strengthen water conservation, groundwater recharge and irrigation support in rural areas by creating water-retention structures near existing bridges. The scheme will run from 2026-27 to 2030-31.This programme will cover 670 projects across the state, including completion of 162 ongoing spillover projects and construction of 508 new bridge-cum-weir structures. The govt has set aside Rs 55 crore for 2026-27, followed by Rs 120 crore in 2027-28, Rs 130 crore in 2028-29, Rs 145 crore in 2029-30 and Rs 150 crore in 2030-31.
