JAGATSINGHPUR: The under-construction stretch of National Highway-55 between Cuttack and Nuagaon in Jagatsinghpur has come under scrutiny after several portions of the road collapsed following incessant rainfall for the past five days.
According to reports, a major portion of the highway stretch near Purohitpur village under Jagatsinghpur municipality caved-in on Saturday after overnight rain. The damaged stretch, measuring nearly 50 feet, disrupted vehicular movement and forced many commuters to avoid the road due to safety concerns.
Videos of the damaged section went viral on social media, with people questioning how such a major infrastructure project could suffer extensive damage before completion.
Local residents alleged that the cave-in was caused by the use of substandard construction materials, inadequate soil compaction, insufficient rolling, and the absence of proper protective structures. They claimed that crusher dust, gypsum, and soil were used in the embankment without adequate strengthening measures such as retaining or protection walls. Heavy rainfall reportedly washed away these materials, leading to the collapse of several portions of the road.
Sources said continuous rainfall over the past five days across different parts of Jagatsinghpur district has exposed the poor condition of the ongoing highway project. Nearly 25 locations along the highway have reportedly witnessed cave-ins, breaches, or embankment failures, casting doubts over the quality of the construction work.
Social activist Gobind Ojha alleged that poor supervision and absence of senior officials at the project site has compromised the quality of construction. “The contractor failed to follow proper engineering standards, resulting in repeated cave-ins and breaches at different locations, particularly near Purohitpur bypass overbridge. At some places, the damaged road has virtually split into two parts, making travel highly risky,” he claimed.
The proposed 94.13-km expansion of NH-55 from OMP square in Cuttack to Nuagaon was sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 499.79 crore. The project has been under construction for nearly five years in two phases, each costing around Rs 250 crore. Despite repeated demands and public protests, the work has progressed slowly, causing resentment among local residents. The project includes six bypasses and nine bridges, many of which are yet to be completed.
A senior official associated with the NH-55 project said a technical team of the National Highway division has been deputed to inspect the affected NH stretches and determine the exact cause of the damage. “The highway is still under construction, and protective works such as retaining walls and stone pitching have not yet been completed. The absence of these protective measures, coupled with heavy rainfall, may have contributed to the cave-ins and embankment failures,” he added.