Kendrapara: Kendrapara Municipality, the oldest in the state, was formed 154 years back comprising only 14 villages. Meanwhile, with the passage of time, the civic body, which also encompasses the district headquarters, has grown in size and population accommodating more and more people in the area under its jurisdiction. However, the lack of a master plan has scuttled the implementation of various welfare and developmental projects in the town. Unplanned construction and rampant encroachment of land have shrunk the ancient town and robbed it of its beauty.
Moreover, sans proper management, the drainage of wastewater has posed serious problems in the area. The development that Kendrapara town should have achieved by now is missing owing to the absence of a master plan. Development and proper planning have eluded the civic area despite the district being home to the world-famous Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP), the state’s only tube wall on Pentha coast, and the Hukitola island which bears testimony to the advancement made in construction technology in the 19th century. The town also has the ancient shrine of Lord Baladevjew. There is also a proposal for the construction of a riverine port on the mouth of Mahanadi in the Kendrapara district.
Meanwhile, the town’s population has grown to over one lakh while its territorial jurisdiction presently extends from Duhuria to Jajang and from Gop to Shamgudia. The state government is planning to increase the territorial jurisdiction of the civic body in near future. The planning and development of any region are done by taking into account its future in the next 50 years. Keeping these things in mind, the district administration and the state government should consider improving roads to ensure better drainage facilities, the construction of night shelters and vending zones.
Unfortunately, nothing has been done so far. The office of the regional development trust is only limited to a signboard and no work is being taken up to improve the town’s landscape and ensure better facilities for the residents and visitors to the town, alleged the local residents Chittaranjan Sahu, Manoj Kumar Singh, Bijay Kumar Mandal, Asit Kumar Mohapatra and Khitish Kumar Singh. The ever-crowded Tinimuhani Square, which is the entry point to Kendrapra town, is struggling with burgeoning traffic problems. The Tinimuhani Square being the connecting route to the Cuttack-Chandbali state highway is crying for urgent renovation and expansion. Sensing the problem, construction of a new road has been undertaken near the Chatipola.
However, the construction of several projects has added to the traffic woes at Tinimuhani Square. Construction of a Mahatma Gandhi memorial, a toilet complex, and a selfie point titled ‘I Love Kendrapara’ and a vending zone at the entry point of Tinimuhani Square has worsened the lingering problem of heavy traffic jams in the area. They claimed these projects could have been constructed at the industrial area which is nearby. Moreover, the state government should think about the immense tourism potential of the district and develop the town and district accordingly. This apart, it should lay stress on the construction of a museum to preserve the rich heritage of the district, they added. When contacted, Kendrapara Municipality Chairperson Sarita Sahu said she will undertake a review of the under-construction projects, and efforts to develop Kendrapara into a beautiful town will continue.
