BARIPADA: Residents of Sarat, Notto, Ranipokhari and Sardiha villages repaired a 13.8 km stretch of road connecting Kaptipada with Sarat on their own on Saturday after their appeals to the administration went in vain.
Around 150 villagers including women pitched in to restore the road which was constructed with funds granted under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana (MMSY). The villagers started the work after attending a function to mark the 74th independence day and finished it at around 5 pm. Former sarpanch of Notto panchayat Dumbi Singh, an ex-serviceman Singhrai Singh and others took the decision to repair the road and posted a message on social media asking people to gather at Sarat College chowk from where the work was started.
The road was replete with cracks and potholes and been hindering the movement of vehicles including ambulances on the stretch. The repair work of the road was done before elections last year. But, it was damaged a year later due to sub-standard work undertaken by the construction agency.
Executive Officer of Rural Works department, Baripada Circle NV Harihar Rao said the contractor who had constructed the road was penalised. He said the tender for repair of the road has been invited and once the process is over, the work will start.