ROURKELA: Delay in utility shifting and felling of trees between Jaraikela and Bondamunda has slowed down the widening work on the newly-declared National Highway-320 in Sundargarh district.
The National Highway Division (NHD) received around 80 per cent of land after removing acquisition hurdles on major portion of the 25.450 km NH stretch from Jareikala in Bisra block to the stockyard of RSP at Bondamunda. Widening work on a stretch of 22.077 km started in October last year while the remaining 3.373 km patch was de-scoped from the project due to alignment objection at Bisra town and land issue for a road over-bridge (ROB) at Mahipani.
Sources said around Rs 11 crore was deposited with Tata Power Western Odisha Distribution Ltd (TPWODL) for shifting of electrical utilities. Similarly, Rs 3 crore was deposited with the Forest department for felling of 1,723 trees and compensatory afforestation.
So far, no effort has been made to shift electricity poles and overhead wires, while the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) is yet to cut down 167 of the total 1,723 trees falling on the project alignment. Besides, trunks of over 100 felled trees up to 10 feet height are yet to be removed at different places, thereby affecting the widening work.
OFDC blamed the TPWODL contractor for the delay in tree felling. District manager of OFDC Biswajit Rout said there has been a delay in felling of the remaining trees and removal of trunks due to non-shifting of electricity poles as the overhead wires pass through these trees. After a joint verification, the electricity contractor has sought one-week time to shift the poles.
Executive engineer of NHD Narayan Behera said Rs 11 crore was deposited with the discom as per the initial estimate of replacing the existing electrical poles with MS posts. Subsequently, there was a direction to use chromium-tainted MS poles which delayed the shifting of poles.
“At a recent meeting with TPWODL authorities at Bhubaneswar, it was categorically told that no change in agreement would be entertained. The utility shifting work would start soon,” Behera said.
Sources said a cloud of uncertainty also shrouds the remaining stretch of around 12 km from Bondamunda to the connecting point of the NH-320 D to NH-143 at Hockey square as the RSP is refusing to part with its ring road. There is also land issue for the ROB at Mahipani.
Behera said two proposals to divert the alignment from Bondamunda to Katin chowk and a nearby point to connect NH-143 are under consideration.
The NH widening project is being executed in patches under engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode with completion target of October 13, 2026. To cause minimum disruption, the project width has been reduced to 15 metre including 10 metre bitumen carriage way and the rest for paved shoulders on both sides.