Bhubaneswar: At a time when several stretches on the highway between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and Puri are in a pathetic condition and proving to be dangerous to commuters, authorities are busy blaming each other for the state of affairs instead of attending to the issue.
The condition of several parts of the National Highway 16 like the Kuakhai Bridge, areas adjacent to the Rasulgarh flyover and many others has deteriorated after the rains. The rainwater-filled potholes and craters on these stretches have turned travel a nightmare.
While the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is supposed to maintain the National Highway, equal apathy and laxity is evident on the part of state agencies which are expected to take care of supplementary and service roads. In the absence of any tangible work in these areas post monsoon rains, vehicles are getting tilted, breaking down, losing balance and becoming prone to accidents. Locals living in those areas have already reported several mishaps because of bad road conditions.
Police admit there are mishaps reported from the area. The Mancheswar Police Station told Orissa POST, “We have been frequently getting cases of accidents. The encroachment has been continuing here for a long time and has disturbed the vehicle flow which leads to accidents and traffic jams.
When contacted, NHAI General Manager Aditya Ray was hesitant to give a specific timeline as on when the repair works would be over. Putting the blame on Project Development Authority, Ray said, “PD office is in charge of maintaining the road. They must know about the repair work and the maintenance. ”
An official from the PD Department who requested anonymity tried to pass the buck when contacted for their response. He said, “The delay is basically due to the eviction of encroachments. The repair of road especially at a place like Rasulgarh is too complex and might take a year or more. Not just Rasulgarh, there are rough patches near Naharakanta and Puri bypass. We will work on it as soon as we get orders from the NHAI”.
Anurag Panda, a local resident, said, “Driving on this road is risky especially during rains. The water level rises so much that it’s impossible to spot a rough patch. Moreover, the open drainage behind a National Highway is something awful. The rise in water level also allows the drain water to flow on street”.
Bapi Jha, a local vendor, said, “One significant problem here is dust. The dust here is so bad because of the patchy uneven roads that it is very difficult to breathe during rush hours. The area becomes totally polluted by air”.
Dipti Ranjan Das, OP