Jajpur: Locals of Jajpur district have sought government intervention in expediting the much-delayed four-lane work of Chandikhole-Duburi-Talcher section of National Highway-200 and recovery of the machinery from the contractor company concerned.
Locals alleged that though the 133km-long widening project was awarded to ISOLUX Corsan, a foreign construction company, by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the firm has not started the upgrade work. Instead, it has damaged the existing two-lane road.
They further alleged that the construction company has spirited away machinery worth Rs 40 crore.
Zed Plus Security Company is the security in-charge of the road assessment used in the construction work. Zed Plus had lodged an FIR against the construction company at Sukinda, Dharmasala, Jenapur police station in Jajpur district and Bhuban and Kamakhya Nagar police station in Dhenkanal district two years ago. But police have not taken any steps against the construction company to recover the looted machinery, raising questions.
NHAI Dhenkanal project director had given a memorandum (letter no: 889/22/6/2017) to Jajpur and Dhenkanal SP against the construction company.
It is suspected the construction company has already spirited away the looted machinery outside the state due to the ignorant attitude of the district police.
In a bid to strengthen the economic map of Odisha, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had approved the proposal to develop Chandikhole-Duburi-Talcher section of NH-200 three years back. The government has sanctioned Rs 1600 crore to upgrade this stretch from two to four lanes from NH-200 to NH 23.
While the work is yet to start, ISOLUX Corsan has destroyed the existing road causing inconvenience to commuters. Due to delay in commencement of work, the road condition is rapidly deteriorating amid increased traffic flow.
In another matter, ISOLUX Corsan had made an agreement with someCoviamconsultancy company. But when ISOLUX Corsan failed to pay the Coviam consultancy, it had withdrawn its agreement with ISOLUX Corsan in 2017.
As a result, heavy machinery worth crores of rupees was left in the camps established by the Coviam Consultancy Company.
Taking the chance of it the contractors and sub-contractors employed under ISOLUX Corsan Company had looted those machineries from the camp of Coviam Consultancy Company.
When Zed Plus Security’s managing partner Swain was asked, he said, “We had lodged a complaint in this regard but found no result.”
However, police department of both Jajpur and Dhenkanal districts are maintaining silence in this regard.
PNN
