Senior leaders of Jajpur district have recently demanded before the officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to start the 133 km-long road widening works from Chandikhol to Talcher soon.
They also blamed the NHAI for the poor road condition of the highway.
Sukinda MlA and BJD leader Pritiranjan Ghadai, his father and former Minister Prafullla Ghadai, Barachana MlA Amarprasad Satapathy and other leaders demanded the officials of NHAI in Bhubaneswar to start the work soon.
“Four months back, we blocked a stretch on the road to draw the attention of the NHAI about the poor condition of the road. But the officials did not pay any heed to our pleas for which we will soon block the highway to press our demand,” said MlA Ghadai.
“Six months back, I had written a letter to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and urged him to expedite the four-lanning work .But the work is yet to be started. In many places, the NH is in a bad shape due to the NHAI’s habitual neglect. The recent heavy and continuous rain has exposed the sub-standard quality of road works executed by the NHAI road,” said former Minister Prafulla Ghadai.
Many of the roads, which were repaired recently, have been damaged in the rain in past couple of weeks.
The quality of work is so bad that due to incessant downpour, the potholes have again opened up. Roads have been damaged to such an extent that people have to literally wade through slush during rain, he added.
D Sarangi, a senior official of NHAI in Bhubaneswar, said, “We have already entrusted the work with three noted construction firms and they will complete the work within three years.”