BARIPADA : Despite repeated appeals to the district administration, the Rural Development officials in Baripada circle of Mayurbhanj district have failed to address the dire condition of the two-km RD road in Ward No 21 of Purnachandrapur.
The road is replete with heaps of stones and potholes, leading to frequent accidents, affecting schoolchildren, patients, and commuters. This has fuelled resentment among the ward residents.
Home to government quarters, a Shiva temple, conference hall, Rural Development and Statistics offices, irrigation offices, a dispensary, government-run primary school, revenue inspector’s office, and the quarters of the regional chief conservator of forests-cum-field director, the road witnesses heavy traffic daily. But no effort has been made to repair it.
Sources said even though Baripada municipality is willing to allocate funds for the road’s restoration, it is unable to do so as it falls under the jurisdiction of the RD department.
Councillor, Laxmidhar Haboda, empathised with the plight of more than 800 families residing in the Ward, and emphasised that their constant appeals to the district administration for the road’s development have fallen on deaf ears. Despite meetings with RD officials and collector Vineet Bhardwaj, no concrete steps have been taken to address the issue, he alleged. However, no action was initiated by the authorities, said the councillor.
The executive engineer of RD, Baripada circle, assured that necessary steps would be taken for the road’s development after a thorough inquiry by officials. Commenting on the issue, the collector said, “I will pursue the matter with the RD officials otherwise transfer the road to Baripada Municipality for necessary action.”