After continuous public agitation, the NHAI had declared the four-laning of the NH 215 joining Panikoili to Rajamunda in 2004. Its construction work was to be over by 2010. But little progress has been made in the construction of the NH project till date although the tender has been issued to a reputed contractor like Gayatri Constructions. It is now felt that the delay in the execution of the project may shoot up its cost, besides causing inconvenience to the public.
The Baliagoda-Raisuan stretch is only an example where the contractor has dug the road for construction in last two months and caused much inconveniences to the commuters. No progress in construction work is noticed for which traffic is at its worst increasing the number of road accidents and regular road jams etc. Kendujhar Petroleum, a fuel filling station, has turned idle as access to the pump has been cut off and vehicles have to move another few kilometers for filling their tanks. Distance between neighbours has suddenly increased by a few kilometers as the NHAI authorities have forgotten to allow road cuts at necessary places. Villagers in Baliagoda have to go back to Raisuan by taking a U turn if they wish to go to Keonjhar town. The culverts and bridges on the NH are yet to be constructed and with reopening of the mines recently, mineral traffic is expected to congest the entire road traffic on the route.
The NH is considered important for mineral traffic as it connects the prime mineral zone Joda and Koida with the rest of the country including the ports. Hence, regular monitoring on the progress of its construction can only expedite the project and find solutions to the road communication.