Cuttack, Sept. 4: A stretch that promised hassle-free travel for commuters from Cantonment Road near Barabati Stadium to Biju Patnaik Chhak has become a dumping ground for debris.

The project to widen the 2km stretch into a four-lane road began in January, but it did not take long before half of it turned into a commuter's nightmare with debris and muck dumped on it.

To make things worse, work on the stretch has been suspended for more than two months over relocation of existing power transmission poles. Official sources said the works department could resume construction only after the poles were relocated. However, red tape has come in the way of release of funds to carry out the relocation.

As a result, the stretch has come to resemble a dump yard with unchecked dumping of debris and sludge over the past month.

The works department had targeted to complete the work by May. It had also expanded the existing roads to maintain the 7.5m width on both sides of the median. Roads and buildings (Cuttack division) officials conceded that they were aware of the situation, but could to do little to prevent it.

'We have already asked the Cuttack Municipal Corporation to stop encroachment on the stretch where construction has been held up,' said a senior official of the roads and buildings (Cuttack division) on condition of anonymity.

Commuters are also peeved with the way the administration has handled the situation. 'It is strange that the nuisance has continued unchecked on the stretch for over a month now, but no tangible move has been taken to stop it,' said Bidanasi resident Satyaiit Roy, a daily commuter through the stretch.

Local councillor Bikash Ranjan Behera, however, said: 'Steps have already been taken to stop dumping of debris and mud on that stretch. The debris that has already been dumped will be cleared shortly.'

Behera said the dumped material was not municipal waste. The debris, he said, had been generated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency-funded sewage network construction project in the city. 'We have asked the project officials to stop dumping and clear the dumped waste,' Behera said.

Asked about the delay in completing the project, the senior roads and buildings division official said the work would resume after completion of formalities, adding that they had to relocate around 20 electric poles.

The Cuttack division of the Central Electricity Supply Utility (Cesu) had submitted an estimate for relocation of the poles to the roads and building division, but the latter returned it on grounds of faulty estimate.

'We have already submitted the revised estimate. Once we receive the funds, we will take up relocation,' said a Cesu official.

The Rs 2.17 crore road expansion work from Cantonment Road near Barabati Stadium to Biju Patnaik Chhak is the first phase of the four-lane project. The expansion of a 3km stretch from Biju Patnaik Chhak to Sati Chaura via Kanika Square and Shelter Square will be taken up in the second phase. The road from Biju Patnaik Chhak to Sati Chaura is among the major thoroughfares in the city.