Dhenkanal: Expansion work of NH-55, which is considered as the lifeline of Dhenkanal district, will be complete by April 2023. This was informed Friday by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project director (PD) AS Rao.
According to Rao, it has been targeted that the double-laning of a patch of the road stretching from Cuttack to Dhenkanal will be completed by June this year, in the first phase. The stretch from Cuttack to Angul via Dhenkanal will be of four lanes, he added.
A high level meeting of Dhenkanal administrative and police officials, NHAI officials, journalists, businessmen and legal practioners was conducted in this regard at the district collectorate Thursday.
The meeting was chaired by Collector Saroj Kumar Sethi.
Collector Sethi directed the officials concerned to report on progress of the national highway expansion work every week. It has also been decided in the meeting that a core committee will be formed to monitor the progress of NH expansion work.
It is pertinent to mention here that the NH-55 has gradually turned into a death trap. Allegedly due to negligence on part of NHAI authorities, the work has made very little progress. The undue delay earlier triggered resentment among commuters.
A number of road mishaps have taken place in the past days causing loss of life and property.
PNN