Bhanjanagar/G Udayagiri: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Friday directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) authorities to restore traffic as soon as possible on Kalinga Ghat road along the National Highway-157 in Kandhamal, which had been destroyed in a heavy rain-triggered landslide. Majhi also assured that the state will consider building an alternative road in the area. The matter came to the fore when Bhanjanagar MLA Pradyumna Kumar Nayak met the Chief Minister and urged him to ensure immediate completion of the repairs Friday.
Nayak also pressed for the construction of an alternative road, noting the age and vulnerability of the existing ghat route. Despite passage of 25 days since a section of the NH passing through the Kalinga Ghat area on the Ganjam–Kandhamal border was washed out, repair work has yet to be completed after frequent disruptions owing to rain. Locals alleged the NHAI has not treated the situation with urgency, resulting in a continued shutdown of vehicular movement on the stretch for more than three weeks.
The prolonged closure of the Kalinga Ghati road has hit residents of Durgaprasad, G Udayagiri, Kalinga, Tikabali, Phulbani, Raikia, Baliguda and other areas. People across the district as well as travellers from other districts and states who rely on the route are facing major inconvenience. Ambulance services have been the most affected due to the closure of the road. Passenger and goods vehicles are being diverted through longer routes, increasing travel time, fuel consumption and transport costs. Prices of essential goods have risen in markets across the district, burdening households.
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Sources said the repair is now in its final phase. Meanwhile, eight to ten inches of concrete was poured Friday. Another eight to ten inches will be added a day later. Guard walls will be built on both sides of the road for safety. Authorities have also begun preparations to blast and remove large boulders perched precariously above the slide hill where the landslide took place. If the weather remains clear over the next four days, light vehicles could be allowed to ply within a week, said Prashant Kumar Sahu, assistant executive engineer of the National Highways division.
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