PHULBANI: The proposed bypass road project in Phulbani town has been delayed for years, fuelling public frustration and raising concerns about administrative inefficiencies.
Approved in 2023, the road project is designed to divert traffic away from Phulbani town’s crowded streets, reducing congestion and improving connectivity in the district headquarters. Although plans are in place and the project has received necessary approvals, construction work has not yet started.
Currently, the National Highway-157 passes directly through the town, causing frequent traffic jams and road accidents. According to the detailed project report (DPR), the bypass road will be 7.2 km long. The proposed route will start near Phulbani medical college (Tilakpada).
It will pass through several locations including Kaladi, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Nature Park, Sadhana chowk, New Court campus, and ITI chowk, before finally reaching the Bhetkhol Ghati. Sources said work on the road project is yet to start reportedly due to administrative and landrelated hurdles. Nearly 90 per cent of the required private land has been acquired.
However, the remaining portion including some forest land and a few private plots totalling approximately 500 metre is pending acquisition. Superintending engineer of the Public Works department (PWD) in Phulbani Birendra Kumar Khura said the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is managing the ongoing project.
Delay in acquisition of private land is pushing the timeline back. Addressing this problem is now a top priority to keep the road project on track, he said. On the other hand, officials and local stakeholders have identified coordination issues between the NHAI and PWD as a significant factor in the delay. Various local local outfits have threatened to launch a mass protest if immediate action is not taken to address the issues delaying the proposed road project.