Chhatrapur: Construction of a proposed truck terminal on Berhampur outskirts has remained a non-starter as the land identified for the project is yet to be handed over to the state Commerce and Transport department. Reports said that Berhampur city and its outskirts witness regular traffic snarls as hundreds of trucks carrying cargo from various parts enter Berhampur town daily for delivery at their destinations. Moreover, hundreds of trucks also visit the godown of Food Corporation of India at Jagannathpur on the city outskirts for loading and unloading of cargo.
Similarly, goods train carrying fertilizer and wheat also arrives at Jagannathpur railway station. The goods are loaded in trucks and transported to various blocks in Ganjam. Trucks traveling to Berhampur city, Jagannathpur FCI godown and railway station ply on the National Highway-16 connecting the city. As a result, hundreds of trucks can be seen parked on the highway. This leads to regular traffic snarls and accidents. Realising the situation, the department decided to construct a truck terminal on Berhampur outskirt. The state government also gave its approval to the project.
Around 14.661acre land was identified as Girisola mouza under Chikiti tehsil for the establishment of the truck terminal. The department also informed the Chikiti tehsildar on the development in a letter-2824, dated April 30. However, no steps were taken to hand over the land to the department. Later, the department again wrote a letter-2261, May 11 to the Berhampur sub-collector and urged him to direct the Chikiti tehsildar to handover the land. Sources said that the land identified at Chikiti tehsil is held in the name of Finance department. Later, the district administration wrote a letter to the Principal Secretary, Finance department and urged him for transfer of the land in the name of state Commerce and Transport department