Sambalpur: The major national highway NH 55, connecting Kolkata and Mumbai, has become vulnerable to landslides in this region, mainly in the Laxmi Dungri hill area close to the Mahanadi Bridge. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is yet to take a serious note.
Laxmi Dungri is an as-yet-unsettled hill and it keeps growing. As a result, its unsettled top surface is posing a regular threat in the form of landslides and of stones rolling down. This is putting the traffic at the foothills at high risk.
Some medium-sized rocks rolled down Friday around midnight. A local motorcycle rider was hit and injured. He is Prakash Das (43), a resident of Mayabagicha in Dhanupali. Another person escaped with minor injuries. Prakash was put under treatment at the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR).
Police said he was rescued from the spot by one of his friends after a while. None of the occupants of passing vehicles bothered to stop or render any aid. No ambulance could reach the spot soon to help him either. Getting sudden help in case of an accident is almost impossible as the stretch of the highway is deserted, unmanned, and isolated from the populated areas of the city.
The victim’s family members have sought a permanent solution to the landslide threats. They have urged NHAI to seal the risky portions of the highway to avoid further mishaps. The mishaps started happening almost a decade ago. A plea is to set up a watch tower in the dangerous stretch, besides providing sufficient lights on the road.
Another proposal is to construct reinforced concrete walls with sufficient space to drain out the water that gushes down the hills during rain. It was estimated that a cost of Rs 22 crore would be required to safeguard the traffic passing through the stretch round-the-clock. An expert from NHAI visited the area to study the matter. He however opined that no concrete wall can withstand the impact of a landslide. Instead, he suggested a tunnel-like underpass, so that road traffic may pass through it safely. The cost for this could be around Rs 35 crore, he said.
The portion of the NH is leased out to Ashok Buildcon to erect and maintain the stretch with a provision for toll collection. It had cut down the slopes of the foothills and sprayed concrete layers on them to check landslide. But this could hardly remain intact for three years. Now, the scenario is worsening. The onus is on the company to act fast, locals said.
