BALASORE: Citing poor performance, the state government on Thursday cancelled the tender of National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (NBCC) which was executing the work of beautifying Udaypur beach in Bhograi block of the district.
The decision was taken by a high-level team comprising Development Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena, Additional Chief Secretary of Water Resources department Anu Garg, Tourism Secretary Surendra Kumar, Work Secretary VV Yadav and Tourism director Sachin R Jadhav, which visited Balasore on the day to review the ongoing development works at Udaypur.
Beautification of Udayapur started in 2019 at a cost Rs 29 crore and was scheduled to be completed by 2021. However, only one per cent work was completed by the executing agency NBCC so far. Official sources said the high-level team expressed displeasure over the tardy progress of work on plantation, park and rest sheds at Udaypur beach.
Bhograi MLA Ananta Das said despite repeated instructions, the executing agency did not expedite the development works. Expressing its displeasure over the inordinate delay, the team cancelled the agency’s tender.Earlier, Chief Secretary Suresh Mohapatra and 5T Secretary VK Pandian had visited the district and asked the officials concerned to expedite the work.
On the day, the officials visited Sankhari and took stock of the ongoing development works of the birthplace of eminent writer Padma Bhushan Manoj Das and his brother noted historian Manmath Das. The state government has sanctioned Rs 17 crore for development of Sankhari which will be turned into a tourist spot.
The officials later visited Bhograi Lock, the confluence of Subarnarekha river and its tributaries, and reviewed the drainage system. They held discussion with the district officials on quick drainage of water from low-lying areas of Bhograi block.
Among others, Balasore collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, chief engineer of Subarnarekha and Budhabalanga basin Taranisen Dhal and superintending engineer of Balasore Irrigation Division Pravash Pradhan accompanied the top government officials to Udaypur.