JAGATSINGHPUR: The villagers of Baramundali panchayat of Balikuda block took to the streets on Monday, protesting the substandard construction work on a two-kilometer road from Balipatana Devi river embankment to Dasbatia. Due to the stir, construction work of the road was stopped a day after it had started.
The enraged villagers led by Benudhar Behera, Gajendra Senapati, and others organised the protest, and expressed concern about the problems they face in accessing the Dasbatia hospital, Anantapur outpost, Panchayat office, homeopathic hospital, RI office, and the weekly market.
According to sources, the Rural Development department initiated the construction work connecting Balipatna Devi river embankment to Dasbatia, linking it to the main Tihudi-Naharana road of Balikuda block. Although approximately one kilometer of the road has been completed, multiple sections were damaged on the first day of construction leading to discontentment among the locals.
They raised objections to the quality of work, suspecting use of substandard materials and construction practices.
“The contractor in connivance with Rural Development department officials used substandard chips and dust in the construction process, resulting in the damage a day after it was laid,” the protesters alleged.
Sarpanch of Baramundali panchayat, Rajshree Khatua, admitted to the substandard work, citing multiple damaged portions near Balipatna village. “Out of the planned two km, only one km has been completed, further raising concerns about the overall quality of the project,” she stated.
Junior engineer, RD Department Sanjay Kumar Swain confirmed that the construction has been stopped due to the protest. He explained, “The lack of sunlight prevented the proper melting of the pitch, leading to insufficient strength in the chip road. The prepared pitch worth `4 lakh has been damaged due to the stir. Steps are being taken to repair the damaged portions and address the concerns raised by the villagers,” he stated.