BHUBANESWAR: Delayed by nearly four years, the expansion of Cuttack-Sambalpur NH 55 is likely to get a much-needed stimulus as the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has approved elephant underpasses at Rs 111 crore which had emerged as the bone of contention.
If the animal underpasses (AUPs) are constructed on time, the NHAI hopes to wrap up the expansion project by March 2024.As per the contracts, six major and 59 minor bridges, three flyovers, 10 vehicle underpasses (VUPs), 19 AUPs, 653 culverts and two road overbridges (ROBs) were proposed to be constructed along the 263-km stretch.
So far, 40 minor bridges, 600 culverts, one major bridge has been completed along with six VUPs. However, none of the flyovers and AUPs (elephant underpasses) has been completed yet. Though the AUPs had received forest clearance, those were pending NHAI approval.
Of the 19 AUPs, work for seven located between Cuttack and Angul has started and at various stages of progress whereas for the rest, approval was delayed as no provision was made in the initial work order.
Sources said none of the elephant underpasses was initially planned though the NH cuts right across key wildlife habits and migration routes with Satkosia wildlife sanctuary located by its side.
The AUPs were later added after the issue was flagged by Odisha forest and environment department following death of elephants in road accidents. As many as 12 AUPs will be built in a two-km elephant corridor between Angul and Sambalpur.
“Even as the forest clearance was received, there was no clarity on how the AUPs will be built. Several discussions were held with wildlife officials and experts for designing the AUPs following which the NHAI approved the plans,” sources informed. Although around 80 per cent of the four-laning work of the 151 km Angul-Sambalpur stretch has been completed, it missed the deadline as expansion work in Sambalpur town was delayed by more than two years due to local resistance.
NHAI officials say some of the VUPs, which were not under the initial scope of work, were also added following demands from locals. There will be VUPs at Bali, Oranda and Choudwar town for which separate tenders have been floated.
Chief general manager of Odisha circle Veerendra Singh confirmed that the NHAI has approved the 12 elephant underpasses between Angul and Sambalpur. “The AUPs will be built at a cost of `111 crore. We may not have to float separate tenders for it as the existing contractor building the highway will be awarded the job. The AUPs will be completed within the target of highway expansion work,” he said.
Divided in three parts, four-laning work of Cuttack-Sambalpur highway is underway for last seven years and the NHAI missed the deadline seven times in the period.In a recent reply in the Parliament, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari assured that the `4,482 crore project will be completed by the end of 2023-24 fiscal.