JEYPORE: Replete with potholes, the NH stretch from Bainipur to Phulbad passing through Jeypore town has turned a death trap.
The entire stretch has been damaged following rains and is full of craters, posing a threat to the lives of hundreds of commuters. On Sunday, four persons fell down while negotiating a pothole near Jeypore Sadar police station and were admitted to District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Jeypore.
The four-km highway stretch comes under Visakhapatnam-Raipur NH-26 and the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) had repaired the road three months back after spending lakhs of rupees. Every day, at least 3,000 vehicles use the road.
Locals alleged that due to poor standard of work by NHAI, the road was damaged soon after monsoon set in. With the craters and potholes filled with muddy water, it becomes difficult for people to commute on the road. “Due to the accumulation of rainwater, it becomes very difficult to identify water-filled craters that dot the road,” said Vinayak Mohanty, a local.
Worse, ambulances take a long time in crossing the road to reach the Koraput MCH from the DHH.
On Monday, a group of locals met the NHAI officials here urging them to repair the road to prevent accidents.