Joda: A stretch of State Highway No.2 from Jurudi to Bamebari in Keonjhar district has been in a bad shape, but no steps have been taken to repair it. This has caused a lot of commuting woes for road users including truckers transporting minerals on a daily basis.
The bad stretch of road has been replete with craters and potholes, which have often become cause of many accidents on the route.
Hundreds of trucks and dumpers have been transporting minerals on the route from at least 50 mines. Besides, five industrial units are operational in the area.
The state government has awarded the repair work to a contractor by floating a tender, but locals alleged that the contractor has been carrying out work whimsically and at a leisurely pace.
Residents of Jajanga, Jalhari, Balda, Palasa, Kalimati panchayats under Joda block have been experiencing bumpy ride.
They said mining firms are raking in moolah, but they are hardly concerned about renovating the road.
Local truck owner Sohaib Khan, trader Prabhuranjan Satpathy and Gurubari Munda have expressed concern over the bad shape of the road and air pollution caused by mineral transportation.
They warned of agitation if the stretch of SH No.2 is not restored expeditiously.
PNN
