CUTTACK: Normal traffic flow was severely hit from Press Chhak to Nuapada areas of the city on Saturday after a portion of the road caved when the underground sewerage pipeline burst near Manishree Chhak.
The incident took place late on Friday night following which around 20 metre of the road sunk in. Local corporator Santosh Bhola, meanwhile, attributed it to substandard work by the officials concerned.
“When the sewerage and drinking water pipelines were being laid underground two years back, I had suggested to fill up the dug up portion with sand. Instead, they filled the void up with the same soil which was generated during digging,”
Bhola alleged adding, similar incidents have occurred in Choudhury Bazar and Bidanasi locality within a year. He further demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter. Meanwhile, project engineer of Odisha Integrated Sanitation Improvement Project (OISIP) Manoranjan Jena claimed a cavity was created on the road following settling down of sand due to waterlogging and this eventually led to its collapse. “We are carrying out necessary repair and restoration work and communication is expected to resume within an hour,” said Jena.