Rourkela, Aug. 2: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will shortly finalise the tender for the first phase of expansion of the national highway (No. 143) between Biramitrapur and Barakot.
"The highway is being built in two phases. The tender for the first phase, Biramitrapur to Rajamunda via Rourkela, a distance of around 76km, will be opened shortly," said NHAI chief general manager P. Sarangi.
"There are four bidders for the first part. We will also open the financial bid and award the project by the end of August so that work can begin at the earliest after the monsoon," he said.
Construction will start from the Odisha-Jharkhand border near Biramitrapur, he added.
The entire highway of 126km will have four lanes. Apart from four lanes, new two-lane bridges will be built parallel to the existing ones near Panposh in Rourkela.
Besides, other major bridges that will be built include ones over rivers Sankh, Suidihi, Kuradihi and Amrudihi. There will be two flyovers - one at Panposh and the other at Vedvyas.
Sarangi said: "The flyover at Panposh will be 60m in length. It will start from the Rourkela city side and end near Hockey Chowk."
The NHAI has opened a site office in Rourkela and posted an official there.
The project has already been delayed for more than five years. Gammon India, which was awarded the project initially, had opted out because land acquisition led to inordinate delay.
At that time, the project cost was slightly over Rs 1,100 crore.
There have been protests in some pockets over land acquisition for expansion of the highway.
Residents of three villages near Biramitrapur are protesting because the highway will pass through a graveyard. It would also lead to demolition of a few houses. The protest is stiff at the Babanmara and nearby areas, where the graveyard is situated.
"We are a bit concerned about this particular area. In the other areas, such as Talsara, Lase, Gobra and Bijabahal, payment of compensation for land acquisition is on," said an official of the revenue department.
Bineet Lakra, a local resident, said: "Why are they building the highway in such a manner that it will disturb a graveyard? We are not opposed to the project as such."
However, those who have already accepted payments for their land have a different perspective.
"The protestors are simply bargaining for more compensation. They are trying to make an issue out of this," said Purab Singh. "They should understand that with the four-lane national highway passing through the area, business opportunities would increase for everyone."
Assistant district magistrate of Rourkela Manisha Banarjee, who is overseeing the land acquisition and disbursement of payments for this project, said: "We are aware of the situation but at this moment we are disbursing payments where the land-losers are voluntarily accepting their compensation."
