ROURKELA: Residents of Bondamunda here on Thursday walked about 10 kms to the office of the Panposh sub-collector demanding immediate repair of the highly damaged portion of the newly-declared NH 320 D between Rourkela and Bondamunda.
People from all walks of life and representatives of various political parities under the banner of the Bondamunda Sachetan Nagarik Manch holding banners marched in the protest rally from Bondamunda which culminated at the office of Panposh sub-collector at Uditnagar. They also submitted a memorandum addressed to the Sundargarh Collector Parag Harshad Gavali demanding immediate repair of the highly damaged road.
The protesters accused the administration of showing step-motherly attitude to the residents of Bondamunda. “The road stretch of about six kilometres between Rourkela and end point of Bondmunda has turned from bad to worse in absence of repair and maintenance.
It has developed numerous potholes and pose risk for commuters, especially two-wheeler riders,” they said, adding, dust pollution is an added problem. They warned of intensifying the stir if the administration fails to repair it immediately. The protesters also demanded the administration not to affect the livelihood of roadside shop-keepers during widening of the road.
Panposh Sub-Collector Abhimanyu Majhi said the protesters were assured that the damaged portion of road between Rourkela and Bondmunda that comes partly under the territorial jurisdiction of Rourkela Steel Plant and partly the state government will be repaired soon.
Earlier, the road from Rourkela to Jareikela used to be a Major District Road (MDR) under the Works Department, but after declaration of the MDR as part of the newly formed NH 320D it was handed over to the National Highway Division (NHD) about a year ago.
Sources said the NHD few months ago had floated tender to two-lane 24 kms stretch of the NH 320D from Jareikela to Diesel Colony, but no step has yet been taken on the remaining 12 kms including the highly damaged portion between Rourkela’s Bisra Square and Diesel Colony of Bondamunda.