SAMBALPUR: Work on the flyover connecting Church Colony with Nelson Mandela Chowk in Sambalpur city is likely to be delayed further owing to the flyover collapse at Bomikhal in Bhubaneswar.
Panda Infraproject is the implementing agency for both Bomikhal and Sambalpur flyover projects and Pratap Kishore Panda, its Managing Director (MD), was arrested on Monday.
Work on the 1,880-metre-long flyover here began in March last year. Initially, it was proposed to construct a 1,540-metre-long flyover from Church Colony to Head Post Office through Laxmi Talkies Chowk here and the estimated cost for construction was `62 crore. However, the design was changed and the length of the flyover was increased to 1,880-metre. The cost was also revised from Rs 62 crore to Rs 81 crore. The change of the design was necessitated after people opposed the construction of the flyover on the road in April last year. They complained that the flyover would act as a barrier during celebration of Sital Sasthi and Muharram and claimed that the chariot of Lord Shiva during Sital Sasthi and Tazia of Muharram cannot pass under the flyover.
Subsequently, the PWD decided to increase the flyover’s height from 6.5 m to 11 m. The flyover will mitigate traffic problem on the busy Laxmi Talkies Chowk and Golebazar Chowk. Prior to the change in the design, the PWD had set a target to complete construction of the flyover within 15 months. However, it has not set a new deadline after change in the design. Sources said going by the pace of work, the flyover should be completed by 2018-end.
Executive Engineer of PWD (division I) G C Sahu said work on the flyover is moving in the right direction. He, however, apprehends that owing to the flyover collapse at Bomikhal and criminal proceedings against Panda, the project here might get delayed further.