Sambalpur, June 17: Sambalpur residents are facing severe problems as the public works department is yet to complete work of widening roads.
The department has taken up the job of widening city roads this year. While it has completed work in some areas, job on Farm Road, which connects Khetrajpur railway station from Laxmi Talkies Chowk of the city, remains unfinished.
“The department has dug upsides of the road but it is yet to complete the work. People are suffering because of this. It is also contributing to traffic congestion in the area. People who take this road, especially those who are unaware of its condition, run into severe problems,” said a local resident.
“The department has dug up the road and has left it that way. This is an important road of the city. People of Sambalpur and those from other areas have to cross this road as it is a link to Khetrajpur railway station. Even people who have to go to Khetrajpur wholesale market depend on this road,” he said.
“Our role was to evict encroached structures so that the public work department could widen the roads. It is their responsibility to construct,” said the executive officer of Sambalpur Municipality.
“As the department has dug up sides of the roads and monsoon is here, widening work will definitely come to a halt. Water will flow into our shops when it will rain,” said a shopkeeper of Farm Road in Sambalpur. “This will also contribute to road accidents,” he added.
However, P.K. Nath, sub-divisional officer of PWD, Sambalpur, said: “Widening of roads has been completed at various places of the city. However, some part of Farm Road are yet to be completed. But, we will not stop the work during the rainy season. Of course, it will be difficult to work while it is pouring, but we will resume work when the rain stops.”
“We have instructed the contractors to use precautions during rain so that the constructed portions do not get destroyed. Construction work will be disturbed but we will not stop work. We are trying to complete the construction as soon as possible,” he added.
