BARIPADA: Irked over bad shape of NH-49, residents of Jashipur in Mayurbhanj district made the project director of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) walk more than two km on the tattered road on Friday .Accompanied by locals, NHAI project director JP Verma walked from Jashipur girls’ high school to Raruan chowk. Verma was on a visit to Jashipur to take stock of the condition of NH-49.
A resident Chandan Mohanta said NH-49 passes through Jashipur town and is the lifeline of people of Karanjia sub-division. However, the NH stretch has turned into a death trap due to lack of maintenance and repair. Accidents take place frequently on the route due to the bad road condition, he claimed.
“Locals have met the district collector and NHAI officials at Balasore multiple times in this connection. We have also submitted memorandum addressed to the union road transport and highways minister over the matter. However, all our pleas to repair the NH stretch have fallen on deaf ears,” alleged Mohanta.
Another resident Prasanta Singh said as there was no improvement in the condition of the highway despite repeated appeals, the irate locals made the NHAI officer walk on the road in full public view.
Sources said after residents met Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs Bishweswar Tudu, the latter asked the NHAI authorities to conduct a spot inquiry and take necessary steps to repair the NH-49 stretch.
Verma reportedly assured the locals to repair the road within a month. He further said, “There is provision to upgrade the NH stretch into four lanes. However, the NHAI is not being able to widen the road due to land acquisition issues. If the NH stretch is converted into a four-lane road, all the problems will be resolved.”