Bhubaneswar: The never-ending work at Bomikhal flyover is rubbing people the wrong way who are miffed by regular traffic congestions around it.
The bridge that was proposed in 2008-09 has already missed four consecutive deadlines and is all set to miss another by December-end. While the other two flyovers at Pokhariput and VSS Nagar have already started functioning, the Bomikhal Bridge is yet to see the light of the day.
“During peak hours I have to wait for about 20 minutes just to move 500 metres. Had the flyover been working, the traffic wouldn’t have been the issue. Completion of the bridge should be given priority as it connects important places in city and state’s biggest mall lies at the end of the flyover towards Rasulgarh,” said Debojit Sahoo, a commuter.
The construction of Bomikhal flyover has not for the first time come under criticism. Botched construction work and poor supervision has led to collapse of parts of it first in 2017 and then in 2018 claiming two precious lives and injuring several others.
However, a senior official at the Works department explained that the delay is only being done keeping in mind the safety of commuters and the precautionary measures taken to avoid any such mishap.
“We are now laying proper tarmac roads on the sides of the bridge. Traffic guards are also being appointed on either sides of the flyover to avoid any confusion. The construction is also expected to be completed by January,” the officer added.
The assurances, however, does not seem to placate the residents and shop owners around the flyover who are exasperated by the waiting game. “It’s been more than five years since the construction in front of my house began. Improper parking and traffic mess along the stretches under the flyover have made the situation even worse,” said P Ratan, a resident at Bomikhal.
“The bridge needs to be open as soon as possible. Congestion and illegal parking dissuade many customers from my hotel,” grieved Gyan Mohanty, a hotel owner at Cuttack-Puri highway.
PNN
