Bangiriposhi: The 17- km long stretch of Dwarasuni ghat on the NH-49 in Mayurbhanj district connecting Mumbai with Kolkata has the ill-reputation of a death trap with the narrow stretch of highway being bloodied in mishaps that occur every other day. Countless precious lives have been lost on this road leaving scores of families without a breadwinner. The deaths do not show even a distant sign of any let-up as mishaps continue to take place.
A survey conducted by the Mayurbhanj Regional Transport Office (RTO) brought to the fore that vehicles struggle while alighting down the curves of the narrow ghat road making brake fails the chief cause behind frequent mishaps taking place along the Dwarasuni stretch. The survey also showed big potholes, absence of signage and reflective tapes, damaged crash barriers as other major issues giving rise to the fatal accidents.
Furthermore, the narrow and congested ghat road gets blocked frequently resulting in strong traffic snarls whenever an accident takes place. The scene of hundreds of vehicles getting stranded on the route for hours together is a regular sight. The persistent problem of traffic congestion has triggered resentment among local residents. It is worth mentioning that an eight-kilometre-long stretch of the NH-49 from Bangiriposi passes through the Similipal tiger reserve. Hundreds of heavy as well as light vehicles ply through the road every day. Frequent accidents on the Dwarasuni Ghat road have led to a loss of lives on the stretch at regular intervals.
Several agitations have been carried out demanding expansion of the hilly road but so far they have failed to give any result. The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, NHAI, the state government and the police — all have failed miserably in reducing the frequency of mishaps. Defiant drivers to some extent are also behind many accidents. Notably, the unforgiving stretch on NH-49 has taken as many as 39 lives in the last two years and rendered over 300 commuters critically injured or maimed. The NHAI has failed to carry out its expansion and doublelaning works as the environmental clearance has been delayed for long. Despite repeated written appeals by local residents to widen the road, the Mayurbhanj forest department and the NHAI authorities are yet to take any concrete step.
Disappointed local residents have been protesting the inaction for the last two years since July 29, 2020. The Bhanja Sena has also observed road blockades and strikes calling for a solution to the perennial problem. Union Minister Biseswar Tudu has held detailed discussions about the problems of Bangiriposhi ghat road with the Union Minister of Environment and Forests and Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways. As per the assurances of both the ministers, Tudu twice visited the highway site and regularly conducted review meeting with the officials on the issue. Senior NHAI officials, district administration, forest and police personnel accompanied him during the field visit of the highway. Tudu’s visit yielded some results as some humps were constructed on the slopes of the highway and barricades were put up at many places.
Moreover, warning signage and street lights were put up at accident prone zones while the roadsides were repaired and filled with soil. The accidents were minimised but the steps hardly brought any relief. Recently, Tudu, while attending a review meeting on Central schemes in Bhubaneswar, held discussions with Birendra Singh, regional officer of NHAI and project director JP Verma about the highway and directed to start the expansion works of the Dwarasuni ghat road by December, this year. However, it remains to be seen whether works will start by December or Tudu’s tall talk will turn out to be a hoax.