ROURKELA: With no semblance of paved roads, the extended monsoon continues to heap miseries on the residents of the mineral-rich Koida block in Sundargarh district. Amid incessant movement of heavy mineral-laden vehicles, the black-topping of all roads in the block was removed long back. The roads are now left with deep craters and potholes with huge deposits of red iron ore dust and soil.
With monsoon getting extended till September, the residents of Koida are a harried lot. Negotiating the rainwater filled deep craters and thick layers of slurries is not only a tough task but is also fraught with danger, especially for small vehicles and two-wheelers.
The road in front of Koida block office is lying in a highly dilapidated condition. Similar is the plight of the road to the revenue office at the block headquarters. After a protest by Bonai MLA Laxman Munda, the district administration had banned movement of multi-axle heavy vehicles from August 24 to September 21 to expedite the repair of NH 520 and two other PWD roads. The restriction was called off under pressure.