Khaira: Tudigadia-Makhanpur road facilitating connectivity to Khaira block from other block headquarters in Balasore is in bad shape for lack of maintenance. As the road is full of craters and potholes, accidents are said to be common on the route. Scores of villages in the region have to face commuting problems on a daily basis.
Locals have expressed their displeasure over the miserable condition of the road and warned of agitation if the government fails to take immediate steps to repair the road. “In the coming election, people will raise the issue of commuting woes in the area before leaders,” said Ratnakar Pal of Kutupur and Raghunath Mallick of Makanpur.
Mrutyunjay Behera of Saundia and Nirajana Jena of Tarang also expressed their displeasure over the bad state of the road.
The construction of the 5.25-km road was taken up under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in 2008.
Earlier, the Rural Development Department awarded the work to a contractor at a cost of Rs 2.34 crore. The work started June 9, 2008 and was to be completed by June 8, 2009. But there was inordinate delay in completion of the road due to alleged negligence of the contractor. The work was allegedly botched up and within a few years, the road was in a bad shape.
A local said, “The contractor is supposed to repair the road within five years from the date of its completion, but rural development department has failed to ensure the restoration of the road.”
Executive engineer of the rural development department, Pratap Kumar Mohanty, said that an estimated Rs 3 crore will be spent on the road. A tender will be floated for the work soon, he said.