JEYPORE: Faced with public ire over delay in NH-26 expansion and rising accidents on the Bariniput-Borigumma stretch, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) on Monday finally resumed construction work by commencing tree felling. The 20-km stretch, a part of Visakhapatanam-Raipur NH falling under Jeypore division, has been in a state of disrepair and rendered mishap-prone.
The NHAI had floated tenders for repair of the damaged road with expansion from 9-metre to 14 metre-width. The contractor for the Rs 90-crore project had also been finalised. Though work had commenced two months back, it could not make much progress owing to the agency’s apathy.
So much so, even the stretch between Jayantigiri and Bariniput had been left unaddressed after initial digging of the road. This had not only hindered vehicular movement but also made the stretch prone to accidents. Sources said as many as 2600 small and big-sized trees, planted by the Forest department for the purpose and spread across the NH stretch, would be felled as the work resumed.
Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) would take up the work of felling and transporting of logs from the spot. The tree cover loss would be compensated with plantation of over 25,000 trees along the same stretch. The NH expansion would hopefully be completed by March, officials stated.