Cuttack, June 28: Officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will shortly prepare a feasibility report on the proposals for construction of a flyover or an underpass at the accident-prone Sikharpur traffic crossing.
The House Committee on Submissions of the Assembly today conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the situation at Sikharpur, which registers a high density of traffic on National Highway No. 5 that connects Bhubaneswar with Chandikhole via Cuttack.
The committee expressed concern over frequent accidents and loss of life at the crossing and has asked the NHAI officials and the district administration to submit a detailed report on the measures that can be taken to minimise such mishaps at the earliest.
Official sources said that on an average, more than 30 to 45 accidents occured at the spot every month and more than 10 persons had been killed in mishaps over the past two years.
"We have sought a technical report within 15 days so that a final decision for either a flyover or an underpass can be taken to prevent frequent mishaps at Sikharpur," said Pravat Biswal, Choudwar Cuttack MLA, and chairman of the house committee.
Police have been stressing on immediate closure of the cut-point at Sikharpur traffic crossing.
"The traffic management committee has been asking NHAI officials to give technical suggestions to check the accidents here," said Sanjeev Arora, deputy commissioner of police.
Arora said NHAI officials had also been asked to conduct an assessment for the construction of an underpass at Mahanadi Vihar, a few metres from the Sikharpur crossing, if a flyover is not possible.
NHAI officials, on the other hand, claimed that earlier there was no proposal for construction of a flyover at Sikharpur as part of the ongoing six-lane expansion work of the national highway project.
The proposals had only come after frequent mishaps were reported at Sikharpur and it was not practically possible to construct a flyover because of some technical difficulties that will create further problems in the movement of the vehicles, said a senior NHAI official.
NHAI sources said that as there was another bridge over Mahanadi, a few metres from the Sikharpur crossing, the vehicles would not get the required elevation if a flyover was constructed here.
The Mahandi bridge will also be required to be dismantled as it creates traffic problems. However, a fresh assessment will be conducted for appropriate measures, the official added.
"There is an immediate need for closure of the cut-point at the traffic signal. The cut-point lets people of Sikharpur, Gandarpur and Mahanadi Vihar to cross the road. Though closure of the cut-point will create problems for local residents, they can use an underpass which is just 200 metres from the crossing," said Kishore Patnaik, a pedestrian.
The House Committee on Submissions of the Assembly also reviewed progress of the construction work of the proposed railway over-bridge at Gosala, which will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 6 crore.
