Joda: Administrative delays and negligence have stalled the repair and expansion of State Highway-2 connecting Joda and Bamebari in Keonjhar district, thereby leaving the stretch prone to accidents, while dust pollution is taking a toll on the commuters.
According to reports, the government has designated the stretch as State Highway but lack of administrative commitment has left the project incomplete.
The road is vital for connectivity between Joda town and key mining areas in the region. The road is used daily by residents of Banspani, Balada, Badakalimati, Palasha, Jajang, Jalahari, and Jurudi panchayats. Around 8,000 trucks ply on this route daily transporting minerals to various railway sidings, factories, and ports across the country.
The movement of heavy vehicles has further worsened the road conditions, leading to frequent accidents and prolonged traffic jams. Considering these facts, the state government announced to upgrade this road, which was under Works department, to State Highway-2. The state government also sanctioned Rs57 crore from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) in 2018 for its expansion into a four-lane highway.
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However, the project remains stalled due to bureaucratic apathy and hurdles. Critical junctions starting from Banspani to Jurudi, Antaramantar Square, Heshabeda Square, Bamebari Bazaar, and Kalimati Square face severe congestion, while dilapidated and narrow bridges at Banshpani, Jurudi, and Antaramantar remain in urgent need of reconstruction.
Expressing their frustration over the issues, locals Surendra Mohanty, Pranab Mohanty, Madhu Sahu, Binod Karua, Shibu Sharma, and Chittaranjan Mohanty have urged the administration to expedite the road work.
Works department sub-divisional officer Ramdas Marandi stated that funds sanctioned earlier have not been fully utilised, and a revised proposal is being prepared at the government level to complete the four-lane project.
PNN
