
Cuttack, May 13: Durga Puja and Dussehra might be a few months away, but the district administration has already started taking steps to ensure that the roads are in proper shape ahead of the festive season.
The administration has set a deadline for agencies carrying out road repair works in the city to complete their projects by August 31.
Senior district administration officials said Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) officials have been instructed to speed up work and complete all pending projects particularly on the immersion route - from Ranihat to Debi Gada via Mangalabag and Buxi Bazar and Choudhry Bazar - at the earliest.
It is via this 3.5km route from Ranihat to Debi gada via Mangalabag that over 140 idols from different parts of the city are taken for immersion.
The district administration is also contemplating to keep the immersion route free by not allowing any other construction work till Dussehra is over.
The state-of-the-art JICA project envisages a sewerage system with an underground gravity sewer line of 375 km long, 29 pumping stations, three sewage treatment plants and reconstruction of 23km of the existing two main storm water channels.
So far, around 25 to 30 per cent of the work related to construction of sewer lines and revamping of storm water drains has been undertaken. Sources said the work for the construction of the pumping stations was likely to start in a couple of months.
At present, roads have been dug up in several parts, including Mangalabag, Dargha Bazar, Bakhrabad, Choudhry Bazar, Jhola Sahi, Bidanasi, Biju Patnaik Chhak and Cantonment Road for laying micro-sewer tunnels.
Besides, the JICA officials have also been instructed not to undertake construction work simultaneously in different areas, rather complete one at a time.
"The construction work on major roads has made journey difficult as we have take detours to reach our destinations and this takes a lot of time. Besides, acute congestion at the construction sites is also creating a lot of inconvenience," said Pramod Das, a commuter.
"The decision of the district administration to fix up deadline for completion of pending projects will certainly be helpful. Moreover, a lot of people arrive here to witness grand Dussehra festival. So, clear roads will make commuting easy for everyone," said Sidhart Sahu, another commuter.
Senior district administration officials said the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has also been asked to complete the repair job under their limits before the arrival of monsoon.
"We have decided to take concrete measures for the repair of roads, drainage channels before the arrival of monsoon while a detailed estimate for taking up the works is being finalised," said Gyana Das, CMC commissioner.





