Sambalpur: The decision of the district administration to construct a flyover in the middle of the Sambalpur city was strongly opposed by local people from the word go. Various organisations, political parties and general public staged demonstrations against the decision of the administration.
However, despite several agitations, sit-ins and fisticuffs, construction work of the flyover was started in February 2016. The flyover construction work has not yet been completed even two years after it began. The so-called development work has become a bane for people as it creates severe traffic jams that get worse by the day.
It may be noted that like in Bomikhal flyover which claimed a couple of lives, four mishaps have occurred here leaving as many persons including a schoolgirl severely injured. After this, Panda Infratech was directed to stop work.
On the other hand, construction work got delayed due to negligence of the officials which indirectly benefitted the contractor and caused loss of revenue to the state. The cost of flyover was escalated time and again.
Initially, the estimated cost of flyover was Rs 66.38 crore which has now gone up to Rs 160 crore. Local people suspect a big scam in this ballooning of cost.
The business of local shopping malls, traders and shopkeepers alongside the road from Dhuturapada square through Golebazar to municipality square has gone down. Because of this reason, they had suggested widening of the road on both sides from Dhuturapada square to the Collectorate instead of having a flyover.
The construction work was decided to start February 12, 2016 and was supposed to end in May 2017.
PNN