Odisha Minister 'reprimands' officials over delay in NHAI road repair work

A heated discussion erupted on Sunday over a road repair work earlier taken up by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), with Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra expressing intense dissatisfaction.

According to sources, the Minister visited the spot along with Mayurbhanj district Collector, Superintendent of Police (SP), Bangiriposi MLA, and several local residents. During the spot visit, he found that repair work on the road at Bangiriposi Ghat in Mayurbhanj district is going on at a very slow pace. As the project director (PD) was not present when asked to come to the site, the Minister got irked and gave a stern reprimand to the PD over the phone.

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The H&UD Minister lashed out at senior officials of NHAI including the PD. Stern action will be taken against the PD for undue delay in the ongoing repair work, the Minister said.

Upon noticing little progress in the work, the Minister pointed out the lack of presence of the official and remarked, “The PD is unfit for this position. The State government is being repeatedly disgraced due to such apathetic attitude.”

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“I discussed with CGM yesterday but the work has not started yet. Commuters often face road mishaps and even die due to the precarious road condition,” the Minister rued.

Notably, there was no immediate response from the authorities concerned.