A road in Bhubaneswar’s Baramunda area has been dug up to lay sewer lines. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, April 21: Roads dug up by the sewerage board for laying sewage lines are posing a threat to the life and limb of people in several residential colonies of the capital.

The residents of Prakriti Vihar alleged that a major road in the colony was dug up by the board over a month ago but the work was still going on. In fact, work in most of the localities has been going on at a snail’s pace.

“The entire road is in a mess. We are facing all kinds of problems. We can’t even take our vehicles out,” said Paramita Barik, a resident.

Dug up areas of the roads have turned into death traps as board workers are not marking them out.

“The contractor had fenced part of the road but a major portion was left unfenced. One of my relatives fell into a trench recently while coming out of my house,” said Braja Kishore Sahu, a resident of Baramunda housing board colony.

Worse, the roads in some areas have been dug more than once. Satya Kar, a resident of Pragyan Vihar near Baramunda bus stand, said the road in the area was first dug up six months ago and then again recently.

“Ask them why and they won’t come up with an answer. I don’t understand why should we suffer twice,” he said.

Even the corporator of ward No. 18, under which the Baramunda area falls, admitted that the board had been doing the work for the last two years. “Our complaints fall on deaf ears. But as a representative it is my duty to convey the sentiments of the people of my area,” said Pratap Sahu, the corporator.

He even alleged that the board’s work lacked quality.

The authorities, however, said they had to dig roads twice because of the nature of the work where underground chambers had to be dug up twice. At present, sewerage works in Baramunda area is being undertaken by division II of the Orissa Water Supply and Sewerage Board (OSSB).

Bijay Kumar Panda, the junior engineer of Division II, said Rs 150 crore had been allocated for the work of this division. In Baramunda area, the board had to carry out work on a 16km stretch of which only 2km remains.

“We are trying to finish the work as soon as possible so that the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation can carry on its road construction work smoothly. We appeal to the people to bear with us,” said Panda.