Sambalpur: The rough patches and the big potholes scattered along the National Highway nearby Birsamunda Chhak under Ainthapalli of the district have turned into a death trap for drivers and regular commuters.
Though the patch work was carried out on the route recently, the surface of the road eroded within some days leaving it in a more dangerous state, the locals have alleged.
Reports say the route connects Jharsuguda, Cuttack, Deogarh, Bargarh and Samabalpur town.
“We travel on that road at least four to five times a day. The uneven road makes it difficult for us to drive, and particularly in night hours, the visibility becomes extremely low due to the thick dust making it prone to accidents. Patch work was only taken up in the name of repair work,” alleged a resident of Sambalpur, Sudhir Ranjan Bahidar.
The locals further complained of substandard work undertaken during the construction of the road, alleging rampant ‘PC’ culture in the bureaucratic system.
Asked, a few of them also stated that lakhs of rupees are being duped by officials for the sake of repairing the road.
The condition of the road is so much worse that it is resulting in mishaps on a regular basis. Despite our repeated complaints to the concerned administration, our demands have fallen on deaf ears, alleged an advocate & Congress supporter Niranjan Tripathy, adding that if the demands are not fulfilled, the district Congress committee will resort to agitation.
Another local Pandit Amarnath Mishra alleged, “The patch work was done hastily due to which it got damaged in no time. I fear it may lead to a big mishap some day, if the road is not repaired well and soon.”
Meanwhile, Project Director of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), R. Venkateswa assured that the repair work would be completed very soon. “It is a very critical junction. We will start the repair work as soon as possible. We will also carry the work at night time so that the road is completed at the earliest,” he informed.