SAMBALPUR: The widening work of the busy road leading to Hirakud from Sambalpur is going on in full swing. The road connects Hirakud with NH-6 at Remed Chhack here. The Public Works Department (PWD), which is executing the work, has set a target to complete the widening work by March next year. Informing this, Executive Engineer, PWD, Division II, Sambalpur Basistha Pattnaik said an estimate of `nine crore has been drawn up for widening of the busy road.
The 6.21-km-long road from Remed Chowk to Hirakud will be widened to 10 metres from the existing seven metres for smooth passage of vehicles. He also informed that around 25 electric poles installed along the road will be relocated to facilitate the widening work.
The work on shifting of the poles has already started. Hirakud is a part of Sambalpur Municipal Corporation and a good road is essential for better connectivity between Hirakud and Sambalpur. Hirakud, better known as the industrial hub of the city, houses the Smelter and the Power Plant of Hindalco Industries Limited (HIL) of the Aditya Aluminium Group.
Heavy vehicles carrying coal besides logistics and accessories to the Power Plant and the Smelter of HIL ply on this road. Widening of the road was a longstanding demand of locals as little space was left for movement of other vehicles. Moreover, thousands of visitors come to Hirakud Dam and Jawahar Udyan at Hirakud using the road. Since most of the educational institutions are located at Sambalpur and Burla, thousands of students also commute daily from Hirakud to the institutions.