Nuapada: Normal life was hit in Komna in Nuapada district Monday as locals resorted to economic blockade near Banjibahal Chhak demanding early completion of National Highway-353.
Considered the lifeline of Nuapada district, the NH-353 (65 km) has been lying incomplete for five years.
“Our repeated pleas were ignored by the officials. So we were forced to hit the streets and protest against the delay,” a woman said.
Demanding immediate completion of the work on National Highway-353, the protesters blocked the main road and staged a demonstration. Normal life was hit as traffic came to a halt for several hours.
Hundreds of trucks were stranded on either side of the road.
The protest continued for over five hours from morning. The protesters relented after an assurance was given to complete the NH in the next 10 days. They warned that they would again resort to agitation if their demands were not fulfilled within 10 days.
Sources said a company from Andhra Pradesh had taken the contract for constructing the Nuapada-Khariar Road. The road construction began five years back. However, due to negligence by the contractor and the authorities concerned, the work is incomplete.
The road is incomplete in many major places like Banjibahal, Banjari, Udyanbandh, Komna and Pendrabandh. Although 80 per cent of the work has been completed, major points were left out angering the public.
After repeated protests, the company gave fake promises to the people. Since monsoon is arriving soon locals demanded early completion of the remaining work.
Executive engineer Pradeep Kumar Samantaray pacified the protesters and assured to complete the work within 10 days. He gave a written assurance in the presence of SDPO Ajay Kumar Pattnaik and Komna IIC Nirmal Kumar Panigrahy.