Stretches of the road near natural drainage channel no. 4, and (below) Indradhanu market area. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 2: Home to city’s two major hotels and three huge shopping malls, Jaydev Vihar has an Achilles’ heel — its roads. Roads in this area are marked and characterised by potholes. Driving on these roads after daylight is particularly hazardous because most of the roads are not even properly lit.

The main road of the colony that passes via the Biju Patnaik College and was proposed to end at the CRP Square has not been widened properly according to its initial plans. The two-armed light posts planned on the median along this stretch are also yet to be installed.

The condition of stretches of the road from the State Bank of India branch to Munda Sahi Square and Biju Patnaik College to Mayfair Square is particularly bad. There are some crater-sized potholes on this stretch.

Local councillor Sudhanshu Sekhar Patnaik admitted that in some areas the road condition was bad but said that steps for improvement were being taken.

“A project at a cost of Rs 18 lakh has already been sanctioned by the BMC. The main road will also be extended up to Biju Patnaik Collage Square. The road will also be illuminated with light posts,” he said.

The councillor also said that the roads passing through some of the big landmarks in the Jaydev Vihar area, including well-known hotels, would be lighted with an investment of Rs 13 lakh by the BMC. The new road and illumination work will start within a month or two,” he added.

There is also a plan to construct a road passing through Gandhi, Ganpati and Trinath slums behind Allahabad Bank, which would connect the road passing by Reserve Bank of India staff quarters. It will be constructed with an investment of Rs 35 lakh.

Executive engineer (division III) of roads and buildings department, P.C. Nayak said: “The second phase of construction of the main road in Jaydev Vihar has started and it will be carried out up to Biju Patnaik College Square. Though it is to be stretched up to CRP Square, the work will be completed in phases.’’

Jaydev Vihar (ward no. 20) includes private plot area, N-5, N-6, Indradhanu Market and Biju Patnaik College area with a voter list of 10,00. But in reality, more than 20,000 people stay in the area.

Asit Kumar Bisoyi, a trader of Indradhanu Market felt that the approach road to the market and the inside areas needed immediate repair and renovation.

“The approach road to the market and the floor on the premises will be renovated with an investment of Rs 24 lakh by the BMC authorities,’’ added the councillor.

“The civic authority is losing a huge amount of holding tax from the market complex as it was constructed with both the residential and shopping requirements in mind. But though BMC is expected to get Rs 4 lakh as tax, the collection is around Rs 2 to Rs 2.5 lakh,” Patnaik added.