Sambalpur: Public Works Department’s Actions; Road Repairs Underway Before Chief Minister’s Visit
Patchwork in Full Swing
Sambalpur: As the Chief Minister’s visit to Sambalpur approaches, city road repairs are being rushed. Every major road is being maintained at a rapid pace, raising concerns that this is being done to conceal the roads’ poor condition from the Chief Minister. Many people in the city are wondering how roads built only a few months ago deteriorated so quickly.
Chief Minister’s Scheduled Visit for Nuakhai
The Chief Minister is scheduled to visit Sambalpur in just two days for the Nuakhai festival. The Chief Minister’s route preparations have been finalized. However, the shocking reality is that the Public Works Department only recently built the roads he will use. They are now in disrepair, with sections of the road crumbling and potholes forming. Multiple accidents have occurred as a result of the damaged roads, adding to public frustration.
Online Sambalpur Is Now On WhatsApp!
Join us for the latest news updates delivered directly to your WhatsApp.
Subscribe Us On YouTube!
Join us for the latest news updates and video content delivered directly to you.
At Gopalmal, instead of using asphalt to patch the roads as needed, cement is used for temporary fixes. Although asphalt is the standard patchwork material for asphalt roads, cement is being used to cover up the issues. This hasty repair work is being done specifically along the roads that the Chief Minister will be traveling on, with a focus on covering up potholes rather than addressing the root causes.
Long-standing Delays and Incomplete Projects
Two years ago, permission was granted to expand the Dhanupali-Jail Chowk four-lane road. Trees were cut on both sides for the expansion, and construction began immediately. However, the road remains incomplete, with some sections widened but others untouched. In some areas, land acquisition has yet to be completed, resulting in slow progress.
At Govindtola, drainage work is still incomplete, leaving a 100-meter stretch near a petrol pump unpaved. However, due to the Chief Minister’s impending visit, workers have leveled the road overnight and are laying asphalt to conceal the ongoing issues. Despite repeated lapses in the Public Works Department’s projects, no action has been taken against them, prompting local intellectuals to express their concerns. So far, no response has come from the department.
