Even after a year of laying of foundation stone for a flyover near the Tamulia level-crossing, the progress in construction is tardy. When the time for completion of the bridge is September this year, only 15 per cent of the works has been completed so far. The project is worth Rs 44 crore. A private construction company of Cuttack has been assigned the task which has only shifted some electric poles, cut trees, besides leveling the ground. Rs 6 crore has been spent in the project work. It is feared that the bridge would face both time and cost overrun as the work is moving at a snail’s pace.
Debendra Pradhan, a local resident, said, “It appears lack of genuine interest of the department as well as the elected representatives has been behind the tardy progress of the flyover works. It may well extend up to 2019, the next general elections to complete the project.” “Almost five years were taken for laying the foundation stone which could only materialize towards end of last MP’s tenure. Former MP Srikant Jena had promised to address the issue during his election campaign in 2009, but it could only happen when the elections neared in last February,” said another resident.
The bridge construction is being undertaken on a basis of 75:25 share between the Centre and the State Government. After repeated demand, demonstration and agitation and a long wait, the foundation stone for the bridge was laid on February 11, 2014 by then Minister of State for Railway Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary. The then MP Jena too was present. Everyday hundreds of vehicles, including all buses to Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, move through the route. Because of frequent movement of trains, including goods trains on the SE railway route, road traffic is halted most often causing a lot of inconveniences to the commuters.
The gate not only hinders the trade and commerce of the district, the school going children too suffer on account of the gate. Students of some prominent professional institutes always make it late to reach the college or home. Most importantly, serious patients from Nilgiri, Khantapara, Soro, Khaira and Simulia most often die because of delay in receiving medical attention.
The preliminary ground works haven’t been completed as high tension line of 33 KV has posed a fresh problem which needed shifting, said Executive Engineer (Works) Bikram Keshari lenka. He informed that, “The original plan and drawing have been altered by the Railway. For the cause the delay has occurred. Besides, shifting of HT line has caused another problem. The overhead wire hangs about 12 metre high. Now it needs to be raised to 14 metre. Two poles need to be shifted for the purpose. The Nesco has been asked to give estimate. It is expected the shifting job would be completed by the time the pillar works of the bridge are completed. However, the bridge can’t meet the target date and it could be delayed for about another year.”