CUTTACK: Even as three months have passed since the Balijatra festival came to an end, the welcome arches set up all across the city for the event are yet to be dismantled, posing safety hazards besides aggravating traffic congestion in the city.
Blaming the district administration for callousness, city residents complained that these welcome arches, most of which are already in a tattered condition, may collapse any moment strong wind blows as the strings attached to them are wearing out at most places.
The situation is quite evident at Bidyadharpur on the busy Cuttack-Paradip road and service road connecting Cuttack-Chandbali road near Jagatpur Golei square where the structures are yet to be removed.
“These bamboo gates set up for Balijatra are also resulting in increased accidents in the city,” said a local accusing the district administration and CMC of negligence and apathy in carrying out enforcement activities to ensure free flow of traffic on busy roads.
“The district road safety committee meeting was held recently for enforcing road safety measures. However, the committee stakeholders have seemingly failed to notice these welcome arches which are worsening the issue,” he rued.
Contacted, mayor Subhash Singh said the district administration which had entrusted the work of installing welcome arches to an agency through tender should have either asked the agency to remove the gates or initiated necessary steps on its own for their removal after conclusion of the festival.
“CMC had undertaken only the responsibility of sanitation during the festival. The civic body had no role in installation and removal of the gates,” he added. District culture officer Nalini Kant Sahu could not be contacted for his comment.