ROURKELA: Supporters of BJD MLA Mukesh Pal have been accused of stalling works in Angul’s Khamar-Pallahara section of the key Talcher-Bimlagarh new rail line project which is already facing delay due to land hurdles.
In a letter to the higher authorities of East Coast Railway (ECoR), the deputy chief engineer, construction-II at Angul on October 14 said supporters of Pallahara MLA Pal led by his representative Gangadhar Jeet forcibly stopped work at three sites on October 9, 11 and 13. He also threatened officials and asked them to not resume works until issues raised by the MLA are resolved.
The engineer further said at Khamar site, the MLA’s supporters manhandled the workers. On October 13, the issue was brought to the notice of Angul collector who advised the officials to continue work and in the event of obstruction, lodge complaint in the local police station.
Earlier, ECoR’s contract firms - Shanti Construction Sambalpur Pvt Ltd, Nanda Infra Construction Pvt Ltd and BKD-SEC-SMT joint venture - had complained to the deputy chief engineer about the obstruction in work.
Sources said the complaint of Shanti Construction was not received by Khamar police. Subsequently, the complaint was sent to the official e-mail of the Khamar IIC. Subsequently, Nanda Infra and BKD-SEC-SMT also lodged complaints with police on October 16 and 17.
Expressing shock over the activities of BJD workers, Sachetan Nagarik Manch led by its president Bimal Bisi and general secretary PP Ray drew the attention of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to the matter and sought his intervention to remove bottlenecks plaguing the Talcher-Bimlagarh new rail line project in Angul.
They said the project work is underway up to 52 km till Khamar from Talcher. But work on the 17 km Khamar-Pallahara has been stalled forcibly. The new rail line project was sanctioned in 2003-4 but it continues to linger. They said due to delay in land acquisition, the project work in Sundargarh and Deogarh districts is yet to start from Bimlagarh end.
Contacted, an unfazed Pal said ECoR contractors are causing inconvenience to the public by cutting roads without black-topping diversions and removing debris from blasting.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is giving importance to the project and BJD members are also in favour of it. However, the ECoR is paying no heed to the inconvenience of people and its officials are not attending meeting called by the administration, the BJD MLA added.