SAMBALPUR: Delay in identification of land has held up the much-wanted truck terminus in the city.
The district administration had formed a committee in August last year to earmark a suitable land for the project but there has been no progress even after five months. The committee comprises Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Sambalpur, Executive Engineer, Roads and Building (R&B), Division I and II, Sambalpur Sadar Sub-Collector and Sambalpur Sadar Tehsildar.
The Sambalpur Development Authority (SDA) had passed a resolution in 2011 to develop a truck terminus to prevent haphazard parking of heavy vehicles on highways passing through the city.
After failing to get land for the project from the Revenue department, the SDA had initiated talks with the managing committee of Gopalji Mutt here. It had succeeded in identifying a suitable land, owned by the Mutt at Gopalpali area along NH 53 in the city in 2014.
However, due to stiff opposition by residents of Gopalpali, the project was stalled. The residents alleged that the proposed site was just 100 metre from the residential area. This forced the SDA to shelve the proposed truck terminus.
Subsequently, it was decided to develop the terminus at Jayantpur on the outskirts of the city in 2015 and the Revenue department again was approached for land in the area. However, the department failed to find a suitable spot at Jayantpur also.
Sambalpur RTO Lalit Mohan Behera said Sadar Tehsildar has been asked to identify land for the project and after it is done, the committee will visit the site and finalise the spot after consultation with Sambalpur Truck Owners’ Association. “The truck terminus will be developed at a convenient place in the city,” he said.