It’s not going to be a smooth ride for devotees in Bhadrak with city roads presenting a sorry plight. Puddles of water have aggravated the problems of potholes on the city’s roads. Some stretches are virtual death traps.
Besides, at a time when the town should be decked up to welcome the Goddess, garbage can be seen littered everywhere.
Once well maintained, the main thoroughfare of the town - the 5-km busy Puruna Bazaar Road and the 7-km road from Bonth square to Randia are not motorable.
Including the main road from Kacheri Bazaar to By-pass square, around 310-km stretch of roads have developed large potholes in the absence of maintenance work. In the last six months, around 100 persons have met with accidents in the city owing to the road condition. Although various political parties have staged demonstrations in the past over the issue, the Municipal authorities are yet to initiate any action. If this wasn’t enough, stray cattle menace has further added to commuters’ woes. Bovine menace is rampant in Bonth, Kacheri, Ekata Market Road, Naya Bazaar and Charamapa.
Municipal Chairperson Hemangini Sahoo said funds had been allotted for repair of roads.