Cuttack, June 26: Red tape has tied the city's first four-lane project in knots.
The road-widening project was already running behind schedule and the delay to relocate electric poles has further aggravated the problem.
The state public works department undertook the task to widen a 2km stretch between Cantonment Road near Barabati Stadium and Biju Patnaik Chhak in January with a plan to complete it by May.
However, work on a nearly one-kilometre stretch of the under-construction road has been suspended for more than a month citing problems to relocate 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 pole relocation work.
The Cuttack division of the Central Electricity Supply Utility (Cesu) had submitted an estimate for relocation of the poles to the roads and buildings department (Cuttack division). But the latter has been sitting on it for nearly a month now.
The Rs 2.17 crore project from Cantonment Road to Biju Patnaik Chhak is the first phase of the four-lane project. In the second phase, expansion will be taken up on the 3km stretch from Biju Patnaik Chhak to Sati Chaura via Kanika Square and Shelter Square, a major thoroughfare.
However, executive engineer, roads and buildings, Cuttack division, Surya Narayan Mishra told The Telegraph: "Work has been suspended only because of inter-departmental formalities involved in the relocation process. Work will resume shortly after the formalities are completed."
The process will involve relocation of nearly 20 electric poles. "We have submitted estimates for relocation to the roads and buildings department of Cuttack division. Once we receive the funds, we will take up the relocation process," Cesu's Cuttack division executive engineer A.K. Bisoi told The Telegraph.
Both officials, however, were not able to give details of the estimate or expenses involved in the relocation.
"Relocation is essential as not all parts of the Barabati Stadium-Biju Patnaik Chhak stretch has been included for laying underground power cables," Bisoi said.
The Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited has already started the underground cable laying work. As part of the project, 33KV and 11KV overhead power lines, which measure 61km in length, would be laid underground in the city.
In a related development, the Biju Patnaik Chhak Bazar Committee has moved Orissa High Court for alternative allocation of land for the puja mandap before demolition of the present one.
The authorities have already issued a notice for demolition of the mandap to make way for the road expansion project.
The committee has sought the court's intervention on grounds that despite submitting an application for allotment of a new land for the mandap to the tehsildar over eight years ago following the collector's direction, nothing had been done till date.
