ROURKELA: After lingering for years, work on the Bankibahal-Bhedabahal dedicated coal corridor of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) in Sundargarh district has finally commenced, but the project continues to face roadblocks due to land issues. The Works department, which is executing the project, has set a target to complete the corridor by 2023-end. However, those privy with the progress of the project are unsure of meeting the deadline.
Sources said for expeditious completion of the project, the Works department had made separate packages for the construction of multiple bridges falling on the alignment. However, while bridge works have made visible progress, the road construction part requiring private land is moving at a snail’s pace.A spokesperson of MCL on condition of anonymity said the coal company has provided the required fund for the project. The MCL, at regular intervals, has been urging the district administration and Works department to hand over the coal corridor at the earliest.
Ideally, the project should have been completed three decades back. The MCL conducted a preliminary survey in 2011 and in June 2017, approved Rs 398.96 crore for the project. However, it revised the cost to around Rs 430 crore. After lingering for about 36 months, the bridge work started in mid-2020 before Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation for the dedicated coal corridor on February 16, 2021.
The project envisages a four-lane road for 8.5 km from Bankibahal while the rest stretch would be two lanes. The entire length is around 30.8 km, starting at Bankibahal and culminating at Bhedabahal near the junction of state highway-10 covering Hemgir, Tangarpali, Lefripada and Sundargarh Sadar blocks. Sources said after laying the two-lane portion of the four-lane stretch between Bankibahal and Amlabahal, the contract firm suddenly stopped work two months back.
Now, the project continues to remain stuck at Khamarbahal, Duduka, Budelkani, Jhapanga and a few other patches over land disputes. Sundargarh ADM (Revenue) Abhimanyu Behera said the land issues are minor and would be resolved soon.
Superintending engineer of Works department, Sundargarh division Narayan Patel said so far, four bridges have been completed. The lone remaining bridge is nearing completion. Road laying work on a majority of the stretch is over and the project will be completed by the end of 2023.