Bhubaneswar/Angul: Odisha Bus Owners’ Association ceased movement of the vehicles Thursday in Dhenkanal-Talcher-Angul routes on NH-55.
The disruption was started as a token of protest from 6.00am in the morning and will continue for 18 hours till 12.00 midnight, informed by the association president Debasish Nayak.
A patch of the national highway stretching from Manguli Square in Cuttack district up to Angul town has turned into a death-trap for over three years due to a double-laning work which is still underway.
Allegedly, the road double-laning work is going on at a snail’s pace while a number of large crates have developed. As a result, accidents are taking place frequently causing loss of life and property. Similarly, the buses plying to Dhenkanal, Talcher and Angul on the national highway have been facing utter difficulties, Angul bus owners’ association secretary Santosh Kumar Mishra stated.
“Moreover, black flags will be put up on all buses plying on the said three routes, from December 24 onwards, to mark our protest against the apathetic attitude of authorities concerned. If our prolonged issue will not be addressed soon, the movement of buses will be ceased for an indefinite period from January 1, 2022,” the secretary warned.
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It is pertinent to mention, the bus owners’ outfit has previously made written complaint for several times before the state government and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), seeking a solution.
A tri-angular meeting was conducted November 11 this year between the government, NHAI authorities and the bus owners’ outfit. Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra had assured the association delegates that the double-laning work will be completed by June, 2022.
However, around 45 days have already passed but no visible progress has been made in the under-construction highway.
PNN
