Bhubaneswar: The proposed flyover that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had decided to build at Khandagiri Square on the NH-5 in March last year is yet to see the light of the day.
The project aims to ease traffic congestion at Khandagiri Square, an identified black spot that had claimed about 32 lives between 2013 and 2015. According to the road safety management, a black spot is a place where accidents have been concentrated.
An NHAI official said the tender was finalised, and the work would "most probably" begin by the end of February. "The agreement is already signed with the contractor, and it has been asked to begin the work as soon as possible. It will start by the end of February," said NHAI regional officer Dharmananda Sarangi.
He said design and cost of the flyover was approved recently. "The 1.5km four-lane flyover will have independent service roads and slip roads. Local vehicles will use the service roads, while those from the highway will use the slip roads. It will cost Rs 115 crore," said Sarangi.
"We has to wait for at least 30 minutes, and almost an hour during rush hour, to cross the junction. We have to use this square since there are no other bypass roads to the Khurda side or vice-versa," said Jagamara resident, Harshit Jain, a regular commuter on this stretch.
Thousands of vehicles ply through the junction every day. The situation worsens for tourists since places of interest such as the Khandagiri and Udaygiri caves are metres away from the junction.
"A flyover is a must here to overcome the snarl. The approach roads also are built in a way that it facilitates wrong-side driving and traffic violations," said Krishna Mohanty, a shopkeeper at the spot.
The inconvenience is, however, going to multiply as the other side of the junction towards Pokhariput will host the annual Magha Saptami mela from January 24. Thousands throng the site during this festival.
"We will block some approach roads near the junction and operate one-way traffic to make it free from congestion during the fair. We will also deploy adequate traffic personnel and rope in volunteers to ensure smooth movement," said a police officer.
