ATHAGARH: The road widening work on 80-km stretch between Khuntuni and Narsinghpur on State Highway 65 in Athagarh block of Cuttack district is yet to be completed. Though eviction and felling of trees on both sides of the road are over, the agency has failed to begin the construction work.
Locals of Athagarh town have resented the delay over road widening work. Sources said on February 15, 2014, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation stone for the `140 crore road project at Narsinghpur Ananta Arayan High School.
It was targeted to be completed by March 31 this year. A Gujarat-based construction company was engaged for the work. Though the company had started widening work and both sides of the road were dug up, it left the project allegedly under political pressure.
During widening work, about 1,489 trees were felled on both sides of the road. Locals alleged that people are facing difficulties while commuting on the road during day as there are no trees to get respite from heat wave.
After repeated demands from the locals, the State Government recently awarded the work to an Odisha-based contractor.