Jeypore: Fed up over the negligence of the administration, residents of Ekamba panchayat under this block in Koraput district Tuesday began constructing a km-long concrete road in the panchayat with a view to ease commuters’ sufferings.
It may be noted that due to the pathetic condition of the stretch from Railway Chhak to Ekamba, a pregnant woman couldn’t reach the hospital about last month and delivered her baby on the road. This incident triggered resentment in the panchayat and people decided to lay the road themselves.
Earlier, they had approached the administration on several occasions for the road, but it yielded no results.
Left with no option, they decided to construct the road by spending from their pockets. Some of the villagers donated cement packets, a few came up with sand and chips, while others offered manual services for the venture. People from all age groups were seen working at the site.
Residents of about 15 villages including Nuaguda, Harijansahi, Badakaudi, Jena Kariaguda, Garudaguda of Ekamba and Dhanpur panchayats depend on this stretch of road.
Though the road was repaired in 2010 at the cost of Rs 5 lakh, the department is no more paying attention towards its maintenance, people of Ekamba panchayat, just four km from Jeypore, alleged.
Even as several development projects including airstrip, Omfed plant, Bilt Paper Mill and railway station are located in this panchayat, the lackadaisical attitude of the local administration in improving the roads has irked many.
Often, school students get hurt when they fall due to potholes on the road.
People who were actively involved in the construction include Ramnath Panigrahi, Gouranga Panigrahi, Krushna Harijan, Majhi Gadhaba and Mahadev Santra.
When contacted over the issue, additional block development officer Sadashiv Adhikari said the road was handed over to the Rural Development Department in June. As the road doesn’t come under block’s jurisdiction, it was not repaired.
“The RD officials said the road doesn’t come under their jurisdiction,” a villager said.
He warned that they would hit the road if the block administration failed to address the issue in coming days.
PNN