In a significant legal battle fought by a city-based social organisation, the Orissa High Court has directed the State Government to consider the construction of a flyover bridge and to merge 62 villages of the adjoining areas of the silk city under the administrative and territorial ambience of the Brahmapur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) in its recent judgment.
Bharatiya Vikash Parishad president Surendra Panigrahi, keeping the growing need of the silk city and the public perceptions in mind, had filed two separate Public Interest Litigation Petitions (PILs) before the High Court praying to direct the State Government for construction of a flyover bridge covering some of the busiest locations/roads of the city, namely, Gate Bazar, City Hospital, PVN Petrol Pump, Khallikote College, Tatabenz Square and Kamapalli on NH-59 in the greater interest of the public.
Mention may be made that, Panigrahi had submitted a memorandum on the demand to the State Department of Housing and Urban Development Department on March 7 and 21, 2018. Similarly, the Parishad also had demanded to include 62 villages located in the adjoining areas of the silk city under the control of the BMC for effective management of sanitation and public communication system which remain unheeded.
The prominent among those adjoining villages proposed for consideration include Lochapada, Nimakhandi, Jagdalpur, Lathi, Bendalia, Bhanja Bihar, Dura, Jagannathpur, Badakushasthali, Sanakusasthali-all located within a radius of 3-5 km. Since the State Government did not take any action on the above demand, Panigrahi filed two separate PILs in the High Court praying to consider the matter.
Both the PILs on the demands of the public interest were heard in the vacation court headed by Justice Ashoak Kumar Rath and Justice Debabrata Das. Hearing the PIL petitions, both Justice Rath and Justice Das realizing the importance of the matter of such public interest, ordered the State Government to consider the above demands and take necessary steps in the matter, sources said.
These roads are the busiest giving rise to huge traffic congestion and hence, are accident-prone.