JEYPORE: Lapses on the part of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have turned the 10 km stretch of road between Jeypore and Ambaguda village into commuters’ nightmare.
The commuters on the National Highway-26 stretch are forced to wear masks due to air pollution. Besides, the stretch is replete with hundreds of potholes owing to damage caused by rains from July to September this year. As public resettlement grew over the issue, NHAI’s Jeypore office asked some contractors to fill the potholes by mixing stone dust and chips. As per norms, the material used for filling potholes should be adequately hydrated for at least three days.
However, the work, which was taken up in haste by the contractors, made matters worse as the potholes were not filled with water leading to air pollution. The dust generated from the road is mixed with quartz and crystalline silica which pose serious health hazard.
Girija Dash, a transporter, said the district administration has been ignoring the plight of the residents. Meanwhile, NHAI officials of Jeypore assured that the dusty patches of the road would be repaired soon.