The 106-km Jagatpur-Chandabali State Highway (A) two-aning road construction, for which foundation stone was laid on November 10, 2013, is moving at a snail’s pace, thanks to the callous attitude of the authorities.
As a result, strong resentment is brewing among the denizens of Kendrapada as commuters have been facing a lot of problems while using the road.
According to sources, the World Bank funded two laning road construction work was started on December 24, 2013 with an estimated cost of Rs 372.86 crore. During the commencement of work, it was decided to complete the work by March 23, 2016. The R and B department has been entrusted to construct the work and the whole project has been divided into two packages.
While the contract work for Jagatpur to Duhuria, which is 49 km, has been provided with an estimated cost of Rs 176.26 crore to Valecha Engineering limited, Mumbai, the contract for the rest 57 km Duhuria-Chandabali stretch has been awarded at an estimated cost of Rs190.60 crore to DPJ-NKC JV Gurugaon .
Though about 22 months have passed to the starting on Jagatpur-Chandabali road, but the work has not made any considerable progress, alleged the road users.
According to official sources, as many as 222 community properties have been affected in the road construction work. While 177 religious institutions have been shifted, 45 religious institutions are yet to be shifted. A sum of Rs 351.12 lakh has been paid for shifting the religious institutions and their reconstructions.
As many as 7,568 trees, that were on both sides of Jagatpur-Chandabali road, were cut for the two laning of Jagatpur-Chandabali SH(A)road.
But the required plantation has not been made, alleged intellectual masses.
According to Assistant Engineer (R&B) Salepur division Amiya Ranjan Sinha, only two per cent work has been completed for construction of 49 km road from Jagatatpur to Duhuria. As a result, the concerned authority terminated the tender that was entrusted to M/s Valecha Engineering limited, Mumbai and also penalized it for the slow progress.
Meanwhile, sources said keeping the slow progress in work, a fresh tender has been invited and later the road construction work would be resumed at full speed. But it does not seem the work would be completed before the deadline, added Sinha.
Deputy Executive Engineer (in-charge) of Kendrapada R&B Division Bighnaraj Jena stated that though the road construction work from Duhuria to Chandabali has been going on, but it also moves very slowly. But the progress of the work is better than the Jagatpur-Duhuria project.
A World Bank team, Chief engineer of R&B and other senior officials recently reviewed the work and directed to complete the work in time.
The Marketing and Development Research Associates (MDRA) has started the task of carrying out a Road user Satisfaction Survey (RUSS) on the Jagatpur-Chandabali road corridors.