CUTTACK: With the Durga Puja festival only days away and despite the Orissa High Court’s directions on repair and relaying of roads in the city, they continue to languish in deplorable condition, thanks to the apathy of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) and all other agencies responsible for their maintenance.
A glaring example is the 500-metre road from College square Post Office Chhak to Cuttack Railway Station. Despite being a busy thoroughfare, the road stretch is dotted with potholes and in a pathetic condition. Around 15,000 people including rail users, students, staff of Madhusudan Law University and locals commute on the road daily.
Of the total 500-metre road, 200-metre stretch from Post Office square to Sulabh Sauchalay is maintained by the Roads & Buildings (R&B) department. The rest 300-metre from Sulabh Sauchalay to railway station is maintained by the Railways.
“The road is in a pitiable state. Despite repeated requests to the authorities concerned, no action has been taken,” alleged Sanjay Shaw, a resident of Bardhaman Compound.
Local corporator Subhasish Patnaik, who is also the secretary of Station Bazaar puja committee, said though he has drawn attention of the CMC, R&B and Railway departments towards the situation, his request for repair of the stretch has fallen on deaf ears.
Similar is the condition of most of the roads in and around the city. The 100-metre stretch of Mahanadi Ring Road from Jobra square to Maritime Museum, roads from Mani Sahu Chhak to Cantonment Road, Buxi Bazaar to Gopabandhu Park, Nima Sahi to Dolamundai via Seminary Square and Haripur, Jhola Sahi to Choudhury Bazaar Nandi Sahi, Tinikonia Bagicha to Hati Pokhari, Sutahat to Khatbin Sahi, Odia Bazaar, Upar Telenga Bazaar to Sunshine Field and Nuapada to Goshala are in a shabby condition and travelling on these routes is proving to be a nightmarish experience.
Mayor Subhas Singh said repair of the road from College Square to Cuttack Railway Station was delayed due to continuous rain for the last one month.
“The R&B department maintains a total of 129 km stretch of roads including 17 km ring roads and 65 km in CDA locality. It has started repairing the roads from Monday. Besides, the CMC has also started carrying out repair of 449 roads in 59 wards,” he said.
However, former corporator Giribala Behera said, “The civic body should have repaired the roads before Ganesh Puja. Though it is raining now, the authorities have hurriedly started to repair the roads ignoring the durability of the bitumen work. Why were they sitting idle when the weather was favourable?”