Drains overflow at Moharana Lane and (below) road dug for the construction of a drain lies in neglect. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, June 19: Slow progress in the repair of a road has compounded the miseries of the residents of Moharana Lane near Bania Sahi here in the city for the last couple of months.

Tardy progress towards repair of the road, which has been dug up by the civic authorities for construction of a drain, has led to resentment among the residents here.

“The entire stretch of pucca road has remained dug up for the last one month for construction of a drain. Though the drain has been constructed, no step is being taken for repairing the road. This is causing a lot of inconvenience to local residents as well as other commuters,” said Sushant Kumar Parida (45), a local resident.

One can find heaps of debris of the concrete road dumped in the locality. The residents allege that work for the construction of the main drain to release wastewater generated from the locality began in the month of March and was completed by the end of April. It has, however, been more than a month since then, but work for repair of the road is yet to begin.

“A huge block of bricks and debris on the road is causing lot of problems for the senior citizens and children. Moreover, a number of people have been injured in the last few weeks after falling on the road here,” said Chitaranjan Prusty (35), another local resident.

Moharana Lane falls in ward No. 30 of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC). The area also lacks many other basic civic amenities, including a proper drainage system.

Local councilor Ranjeeta Kahali has, however, said that steps are being taken towards the construction of the road in the locality.

“As most of the labourers had gone to their respective villages on the occasion of Raja, there was a delay in the construction of the road. The work is expected to begin soon,” said Kahali.