Chhatrapur: Difficulties in land acquisition and allied problems have hit the establishment of a proposed truck terminal planned three years ago in Ganjam district, sources here said Thursday.
The truck terminal was proposed to be built on the outskirts of Berhampur, but nothing has materialised so far.
Other than issues regarding land acquisition, delay in sanctioning of funds and absence of coordination among various departments have contributed to the project remaining a non-starter. Even though authorities have launched an all-out effort for land acquisition, only four acre land has so far been acquired.
The proposed terminal will have slots for parking of trucks, dormitories for drivers and helpers, lavatories, drinking water facility, canteen, a separate bunker for vehicle repairing, guard and office rooms, officials said.
Sources said the state government had decided to establish a truck terminal in 2021 to ease the burgeoning traffic problem on national highways and to put a clamp on increasing road mishaps and the resultant deaths. However, it was only in 2023 that the government issued a letter to the District Collector directing him to acquire and hand over necessary land (at least 10 acre) to the Regional Transport department.
The office of the Transport department at Chhatrapur had then written to the district Revenue department urging them to provide 14.611 acre land at Girisola under Chikiti tehsil on Berhampur outskirts. Sources informed that the total expenditure for construction of the project will be approximately `30 crore.
Notably, hundreds of cargoladen trucks ply daily on national highways on the outskirts of Berhampur. This is leading to traffic congestions and also giving rise to accidents. Moreover trucks visit the FCI godown at Jagannathpur on the outskirts of Berhampur as well as the railways goods shed in the area for loading and unloading of cargo. A proper truck terminal can ease the traffic problems, officials pointed out.
PNN
