Commuters in Paradip suffer as industries ignore
PARADIP: Replete with potholes, several roads in the port city have turned into commuters’ nightmare.
Even as Paradip Port Trust (PPT), Paradeep Phosphates Limited (PPL) and other major industries spend a considerable amount on corporate social responsibility (CSR), there has been no focus on repairing the roads in the city.
The 5 km-stretch between PPL Chowk at Cuttack-Paradip State Highway and the railway line leading to PPL, is a glaring example of the major industries’ apathy towards infrastructure development in the city.
The condition of the road, which was handed over to PPL five years ago and is used by thousands of people including PPL employees on a daily basis, has gone from bad to worse over the years.
The PPL has not undertaken repairs on this stretch. What’s worse is that the firm’s authorities have been passing the buck. Manager (corporate affairs), PPL Sudhiranjan Mishra said the road was maintained by PPL till 2003. However, it was handed over to PPT the same year and the responsibility of repairing it lies with the port, he added.
Interestingly, the Executive Officer of Paradip Municipality Dillip Kumar Mohanty said the road is still under PPL’s possession and the firm should repair it. Besides, the condition of a stretch of 2 km from IFFCO Chowk to Tarenigada and a 10 km stretch from Atharbanki to Nehru Bangla have turned into virtual death traps for commuters. The road in industrial estate at Paradeepgarh too has become deplorable owing to lack of maintenance and repair.
A senior officer of PPT informed that the port has already initiated steps to repair all roads in the city and tender has already been awarded to a firm for the purpose. The repair work has been delayed due to rains and it will be expedited soon, he added.