local MlA Dilip Ray has shot off a letter to Rourkela ADM K Sudarsan Chakravorty to expedite widening works of NH-23 from Barkote to Biramitrapur and construction of a second bridge over the Brahmani river. He urged the ADM to go ahead with the land acquisition works for the project. It may be noted that the project has been biting dust for last few years because of problems in land acquisition as the local people of Sundergarh and Deogarh are opposing to give away private land.
However, Ray this time has got all suppport from the Union Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari to take the project forward. Sources said four/two-laning of the stretch from Biramitrapur to Barkote of NH-23 (126 km), including construction of five major bridges, was earlier awarded to the Gammon Infrastructure Project on BOT (toll) in March 2012 with a total project cost of Rs778. The company was allowed concession to collect toll for a period of 23 years.
For the project, a total of 765 hectares (ha) of land is required. Of this 198 ha private land falls in 91 villages in two districts of Sundargarh (72 villages) and Deogarh (19 villages). Union Minister Gadkari had mentioned the project’s cost has been hiked to Rs1,394 crore. He told that bid had been re-invited on EPC mode. The project is targeted to be re-awarded in 2015 itself subject to resolution of land acquisition and receipt of clearance from various levels and targeted to be completed by 2018.
Gadkari further informed that all possible efforts are being taken to expedite the bidding process and necessary coordination meetings between NHAI officers and Government of Odisha have been held to expedite the work. Gadkari had urged Ray to take up the matter with the State authorities for early completion of land acquisition.