ROURKELA: Protesting pathetic condition of roads in Rourkela, Congress workers on Saturday launched an agitation to mobilise public opinion and build pressure on the local administration. Holding the Rourkela city administration, Rourkela Municipal Corporation and Rourkela Smart City Ltd (RSCL) responsible, they held agitation at STI area here on Saturday.
Congress Lok Sabha candidate for Sundargarh district and former Birmitrapur MLA George Tirkey said similar agitation would be held throughout the city over demand for immediate improvement of roads.
Former Rourkela District Congress Committee (RDCC) president Biren Senapati said for many years the RMC, Public Work Department and the Rourkela Development Authority have not taken up repair and maintenance of roads.
Senapati added the situation turned from bad to worse over past three years with digging of all major and internal roads of the city for the underground sewerage system, laying of pipelines and other projects. He said all roads are now in a highly damaged condition.
Officials of the city administration, RMC, RSCL, PWD and RDA have no coordination among them and are oblivious to the suffering of people, he alleged and claimed that roads of the rural areas of Sundargarh are in much better condition than the Smart City.
The RMC Commissioner and RSCL Chief Executive Officer Dibyajyoti Parida had recently announced to start Phase-II of Smart Road project under which, construction of 28 roads including the main road would be taken up. Senapati pointed out a year back, foundation stone was laid for development of the main road portion from Panposh to Uditnagar for over `22 crore, but after a year the project is in a preliminary stage.