BALANGIR: Balangir Action Committee has decided to intensify protests over delay in construction of a bypass road in the town. “Meetings, rallies and demonstrations will be organised to protest the Government apathy towards construction of the bypass road,” said convenor of the committee Gopalji Panigrahi on Tuesday.
As per reports, two National Highways (NHs) 26 and 57 pass through Balangir town. Due to lack of a bypass or ring road, heavy traffic is witnessed in the town area.
In 2001, the then Balangir MLA AU Singhdeo had laid foundation stone of the bypass road project at Bijakhaman in 2001. However, the project did not move forward due to unknown reasons. In 2009, the State Government approved the project to connect four corners of the town through a bypass road to ease traffic congestion.
According to the proposal, a road was to be built from Biramuna village on NH 26 to Bijakhaman on NH 57 (Titilagarh Road) passing through Sadaipali, Larkipali, Laltikra and Patnagarh near the medical college. In the second phase, another road was to be constructed from Madhiapali on NH 26 to Bijakhaman on NH 57 passing through Puintala, Bishnumunda and Khujenpali.
In the same year, the project got approval of the Central Government. In 2013, the State Government provided `36 crore to Balangir Tehsil for land acquisition and `6.46 crore towards contingency and administrative expenses for the project.
However, though almost five years have passed, construction of the 11-km road at the west flank of the town from Biramunda to Bijakhaman is yet to be completed. IDCO has completed construction of only 5 km-road as it falls under its jurisdiction. The remaining 6 km-road, which is to be constructed by Public Works department, is yet to start due to hurdles in forest clearance and delay in land acquisition.
Similarly, 12 km of the bypass road project at the east flank from Madhiapali to Bijakhaman is yet to start due to escalation of land acquisition cost. Meanwhile, the project cost has gone up manifold due to increase in land valuation and acquisition cost.