Sambalpur: Jail Chowk- Gobindtola- Dhanupali Road Widening Project Faces Delay and Allegations, Narrowing Roads and Unresolved Encroachments Raises Concerns
Sambalpur: Dhanupali Chowk is one of the entrances to Sambalpur city. The road from Dhanupali Chowk to Jail Chowk has been under renovation for more than a year. The plan is to widen the road and create a median on both sides. However, there are allegations that the administration is showing indifference towards evictions in some places. People are doubting whether the road will remain wide in the long run as it narrows.
During the road widening from Jail Chowk, the stairs and road of the TVS showroom, the stairs of India Bazar, and many houses were demolished for land acquisition. But a wall between the TVS showroom and the CRPF building is not being broken. It is alleged that this wall is encroaching on government land, but it is not being cleared or acquired. If it is private land, the district administration should acquire it for road widening as per the rules. However, since the encroachment is not being cleared, road construction has stopped, and the road has narrowed, risking accidents for large vehicles, said BJP leader Surya Panigrahi. Panigrahi questioned why this wall is not being broken, alleging pressure from some other departments.
In addition, a wall has formed on the road in front of India Bazar as a result of a broken pole. Soon after the construction of the road near the Commissioner’s Colony, there was a tree, and the pickers were doing their business under the tree. As Jail Chowk narrows in front of the petrol pump, the road narrows, and the road is not fully covered with Pichu, while people speeding and stopping suddenly collide with oncoming traffic. According to the work plan prepared before construction, there are instructions to have equal width on both sides of the median and to remove roadside shops. However, due to lack of coordination between the Maintainance Department, Land Acquisition Department, Municipal Corporation, and the administration, such work is seen to be hampered.
The main Jail Chowk-Gobindtola-Dhanupali road has not been completed for years. Road users and residents of the area are suffering due to the construction of unpaved medians and half-lanes. The road from Jail Chowk to Dhanupali Chowk is being constructed at a cost of Rs 5 crore. However, as the plan changes frequently, there is widespread apprehension about implementation. After questioning Manas Sethi, Inspector of Ward Division-1, if the road should be built near the jail wall, he needs to respond more adequately. If that place belongs to the said organization, it will be acquired after measurement by the Revenue Department. Sethi said that if it is outside the official area, it will be confiscated. There is a plan for a 7-meter road on both sides of the median, while there are proposals for the acquisition of hotels and houses. On the other hand, he informed that the work will be expedited after the election as the conduct of the election has been mixed.
