SAMBALPUR: The design of Rotary Junction at Nelson Mandela Chowk in the city has been modified to protect the houses of doyen of Assamese literature Laxminath Bezbaroa.Informing this, Executive Engineer, PWD Division-I of Sambalpur, Gouranga Charan Sahu said the two houses of Bezbaroa including his residence and office near the Chowk will no way be harmed in developing the approach road to the second bridge over Mahanadi river and development of the junction. The tender for development of the junction has already been finalised and the estimated cost of the project is `3.25 crore. Preliminary work began recently and they have set a target to complete it by the end of May, he informed.
Sources said Nelson Mandela Chowk is going to become a busy crossroad of the city after completion of the second bridge over Mahanadi river and ongoing flyover work connecting Church Colony with the Chowk. While the approach road of the bridge will connect the Chowk, one end of the flyovers will also merge with it. This apart, Ring Road along Mahanadi river and roads from Jail Chowk and Binakhandi area in the city meet at the Chowk.
As per reports, the houses of Bezbaroa over 2.72 acres of land were acquired by the administration to pave the way for construction of approach road and Rotary Junction at the Chowk. Bezbaroa had constructed the houses in 1924 while he was working with a timber company in Sambalpur. During his stay for two decades, Bezbaroa had penned several literary works.
After the decision of the State Government to demolish the houses of Bezbaroa came to the fore, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal took up the matter with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Even Cultural Affairs Minister of Assam Naba Kumar Doley and Media Adviser to Chief Minister, Assam, Hrishikesh Goswami visited Bezbaroa’s houses in the city on October 30 last year to assess the ground realities. Subsequently, they met Odisha Chief Minister who announced renovation and conservation of the houses forcing the PWD authorities to redesign the Rotary Junction.