BALASORE: Tension prevailed in Sahabajipur village under Bhograi block of Balasore district after the West Bengal government allegedly attempted to undertake unauthorised road construction in the area on Sunday.
A group of workers from Bengal crossed the Odisha border in the morning and began laying a road in the village with the help of a roller, claimed Bhagaban Behera, a local. By the time villagers noticed the activity, nearly 50 feet of the road had already been constructed.
Residents approached the workers and sought clarification about the authority behind the project. The workers reportedly stated that they had been sent by the WB government. The villagers immediately objected to the construction and alerted the local administration.
Additional Tehsildar Pragyan Paramita and Udaipur police reached the spot to assess the situation. Officials from the Roads and Buildings wing of West Bengal’s Public Works Department also arrived and held discussions with the Odisha authorities. However, when asked to produce valid documents, including official maps to justify the construction within the disputed area, the West Bengal officials reportedly failed to furnish them.
Stating that the road was being constructed within Odisha territory without proper authorisation, Paramita ordered an immediate halt to the work. Police have seized the road roller.