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Even after 10 years of completion, a 19 km stretch on Bhubaneswar-Puri National Highway-316 through Satyabadi is still under darkness.
As per reports, the road that passes through the main market in Satyabadi has electric poles installed, bulbs on them, but there has been no electricity connection till now. Accidents often take place on the road in the middle of the market due to the darkness and there are reports of people losing their lives as well.
However, the most worrying thing is that criminal activities are on the rise in the area. Incidents of drug trafficking as well as extortion have been seen regularly. Drug peddlers are running their business fearlessly.
This road was built during the last Nabakalebara. New roads were made, new bridges and new electric poles were also installed. However, the government forgot to electrify the poles. Even after 10 years, Satyabadi market is in the dark.
“The road is OK, but there is no light. There are poles and they are fitted with bulbs. But there is no power supply to those poles. The road has been in dark since its construction 10 years ago,” said Prashant Khatei, a local shopkeeper.
Another local shopkeeper, Santosh Satapathy said, “We do not feel it safe to work in our shops in the night. It gets pitch dark encouraging antisocial elements to thrive. My shop has already been robbed once, a year back.”
A large number of tourists come to Satyavadi. As a result, there is a good crowd here. However, tourists fear to visit the area late at night. Because, sometimes they get robbed and cheated.
When asked, Satyabadi tahsildar feigned ignorance over the issue and assured to intimate the concerned department soon.
“We did not know about this. Thank you for making us aware. We will inform this to the concerned department,” Satyabadi Tehsildar Jayant Kumar Jaysingh said.
Similarly, Satyabadi BDO Lipsa Rai said, “If there is a problem on the road then we will speak with the NHAI and concerned department. I will instruct the officials to do whatever can be done in this connection.”
