The main road in Kendrapara cuts a sorry picture after a shower. Telegraph picture

Kendrapara, Aug. 23: Travelling through the city’s main road has become a nightmare for pedestrians and motorists.

The condition of the 4km main road, considered the lifeline of the district headquarters town, has deteriorated considerably. Marked by potholes, the slightest drizzle turns them into mini-pools.

Ironically, Rs 7 crore grant for road repairs is lying idle with the civic body.

“Things are in complete disarray. Neither the district administration, nor the urban local body authorities are bothered about burning civic problems. While the roads are in exceedingly bad shape, the drainage network has turned dysfunctional with the onset of the monsoon, making the local residents’ life miserable,” said former municipality chairman Mohamad Akbar Ali.

The crux of the problem is that the municipality is yet to officially hand over the street to the roads and building division. The 4km stretch was earlier owned by the municipality. Since the civic body failed to maintain it properly, the state government had decided to give the responsibility to the roads and building division.

“Roads are definitely in very poor shape. We are ready to rebuild the road with the sanctioned Rs 7 crore grant. But the municipality is yet to officially transfer the road to us. Still, keeping in view the larger public interest, we have invited tenders for the project,” said executive engineer of the roads and building division Kishore Kumar Nayak.

Kendrapara Municipality chairman Dhirendra Kumar Nayak said: “We are handing over the road to roads and building division. The division authorities have been called upon to expeditiously reconstruct the main road of the township.”

Apart from the bad shape of roads, hygiene and sanitation measures have also taken a backseat in the municipality area. Heaps of garbage get piled up everyday with them not being cleared on a daily basis.