JAGATSINGHPUR: Students from Dardia Potanai UP School, Potanai High School, and Patitapaban High School blocked Andhari Chowk on the Cuttack-Nuagaon national highway within Erasama police limits on Tuesday, protesting the unsafe condition of the road they use for their daily commute.
A similar demonstration was staged last week by students from Markand Vidyamandir in Gadaharishpur panchayat. The protest was held against the dire state of the one km road stretch from Andhari Chowk to Digitari village, which serves hundreds of students from Digitari, Baleipur, and neighbouring villages.
Despite funds being allocated annually for maintenance, the road continues to deteriorate shortly after repairs, with locals blaming substandard work and corruption among contractors and engineers. The unsafe road conditions have made the daily journey to school perilous, especially during the rainy season when potholes and muddy surfaces lead to frequent accidents, the students alleged.
Villagers also struggle to access medical facilities, and emergency vehicles like fire services which are unable to reach the villages. During the protest, students were joined by women from the affected villages.
The demonstration caused a four-hour disruption of traffic until Erasama tehsildar Debi Prasad Acharya intervened, assuring the protesters that their demands would be addressed. The protest at Gadaharishpur last week also aimed to draw attention to the deteriorating condition of the Goda-Gadaharishpur road.
Assistant executive engineer of the RD department, Budhanath Singh, said, “The one km road has recently been transferred from panchayat control to the RD department. Steps would be taken to renovate the roads in Baleipur and Gadaharishpur after rains, with tenders already awarded for the construction.”