Repair and renovation of a stretch of only one- km road and drains along it in a prime location of the district headquarters town here are yet to take off as encroachments have become bottlenecks and authorities are sitting undone.
The foundation stone for the road project stretching from Sahadevkhunta police outpost to Chandmaripadia had been laid on October 4 last year by the Sadar MLA.
Despite the lapse of several months the works couldn’t proceed at all as the authorities are required to remove 20 shanties on either side of the roads.
In protest of the delay of works a local civil society body also lodged a protest and members sat on dharna on January 8. The agitators were assured that after eviction the works would be undertaken.
However, when a month passed with no progress in the work, a strong resentment is snowballing among the local residents. Rueing that due to apathy of the authorities the renovation work had been stalled, they threatened to step up their agitation.
They alleged that due to dilapidated roads and inadequate drainage they continue to suffer mainly in the rainy seasons.
They demanded eviction without any further delay and beginning the renovation works.
Meanwhile, it is learnt from sources that the authorities couldn’t proceed with the evictions as some of the owners who made houses on the encroached lands have obtained pattas from the district administration.
