SAMBALPUR: Members of Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) burnt effigy of Union Minister for Highways Nitin Gadkari in Ainthapali along NH-6 on Saturday and demanded CBI inquiry into laying of 88 km stretch of the NH from Sambalpur to Luhurachati on Bargarh/Chattisgarh border.
Protests were also held at Burla overbridge, Bargarh and Attabira areas.Led by State working president of BYJD Sanjit Mohanty, they protested indifference of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) towards poor quality of work on the NH stretch. The BYJD members also submitted a memorandum to the President of India through the Collector, Samarth Verma in Sambalpur.
A hole had formed in the middle of NH-6 at Brahmachari on Bargarh by-pass road on Friday morning triggered widespread resentment among locals. They noticed the hole, about three feet in diametre, and alerted commuters plying on the NH. Subsequently, movement of heavy vehicles on the NH was stopped.
The NH stretch has been laid at a cost of `1,142 crore by Nashik-based Ashoka Buildcon. Though there have been numerous complaints of poor quality of work by the firm and work on the stretch is far from complete, Ashoka Buildcon has managed to obtain the completion certificate and is collecting hefty toll since the last three years.
Mohanty said people have run out of all democratic means of protest over the faulty NH work. Though attention of the Project Director of NHAI over substandard work on the stretch has been drawn on numerous occasions, no action has yet been taken against Ashoka Buildcon. Accusing the NHAI of being hand in glove with Ashoka Buildcon, Mohanty said Gadkari should direct a CBI probe into the laying of the NH stretch. He also alleged that Gadkari is a stakeholder in Ashoka Buildcon which puts pressure on the NHAI not to act. Mohanty demanded that Ashoka Buildcon be asked to relay the stretch afresh.
At Bargarh, MLA Debesh Acharya accompanied the BYJD and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal activists and threatened to intensify stir if the issue is not addressed immediately.