Bhubaneswar: After failing to meet the June 30 deadline for completion of infrastructure development work for Nabakalebar, the State government has set another deadline for the same. As be the new deadline, the State government aims to complete the infra development work by July 7.
Such delay in road and other infrastructure development for the mega ritual is a source of concern for chief minister Naveen Patnaik as the Public Works department is under him.
Meanwhile, Nabakalebara Infrastructure Development Committee chairman Maheswar Mohanty held another review meeting to take stock of targets and level of completion achieved by various departments involved in the development work.
A look at the current state of affairs reveals that only two lanes out of four of the rail overbridge at Malaltipur are complete. Though the Maltipur bus stand is complete and finishing touches are being given, the foot overbridge connecting it to the railway station is yet to be completed. Moreover, given the progress of the bypass road at Harekrushnapur connecting Mangalaghat bridge, it seems work would not be completed by Rath Yatra.
As Mohanty himself observes, albeit a bit late, “Had we pulled up our socks three months back then the work would have be completed.”
On the other hand, the Public Works department sources said that 95 % work is complete and it targets to finish the work between July 10 and July 14.
As the Public Works department falls under the authority of the chief minister himself, his level of involvement in taking stock of the work at regular intervals and providing enough time for the same is being questioned amidst such delays.