ROURKELA: A section of tribal villagers of Bisra block have raised objection to the road over bridge (ROB) at Kukudagate level crossing on the busy Howrah-Mumbai route of the South Eastern Railway.
A Pallisabha meeting was held by Panposh Sub-Collector Daulat Chandrakar at Barabans on Monday for the acquisition of private land for the ROB at the level crossing which is an intersection of four villages. The project needs less than two-acre of private land.
Affected villagers along with members of Anchalik Suraksha Committee, who attended the meet, opposed the project. Local villager Deme Oram said around six decades back, "the State government had acquired vast land for SER and compensation and rehabilitation issues of the affected tribals have not yet been settled. The administration should first settle the pending issues of the SER’s land oustees. Until then, no fresh land acquisition would be allowed."
Oram said it was decided in the Pallisabha that land acquisition process would be suspended till the reservations of villagers are addressed.
The Sub-Collector said payment of adequate compensation, old issues with the SER and unhindered movement of villagers were raised at the meet. The administration assured to iron out the issues. Another Pallisabha meeting is scheduled on Wednesday at Kapatmunda village.
Incidentally, a separate railway track project on three-km stretch between Bangurkela and Dumerta could not be taken up due to protest by tribals while work on the rest seven km is in progress. Four other ROB projects of both SER and Works department of the State government are also facing delay due to either encroachment issues or local protest.
Executive Engineer Manoj Mahanand said for the ROB at Malgodam, eviction of encroachments is needed and the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) has assured land clearance. For the ROB in IDC area of Kalunda, tender would be floated shortly. Tender has been completed for the one over level crossing-214. For another ROB over level crossing-215, tender would be floated after design approval by the SER.
All these ROB projects were sanctioned about a decade back.