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Jatni, Oct 15: Residents of Kusumati-Chhanaghara are facing loads of difficulties due to poor condition of a road that connects the panchayat with Jatni.
The villagers have claimed that hundreds of potholes have come up on the 3 km long road due to poor maintenance.
Public sector undertakings – Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) – had laid the pucca road to facilitate movement of heavy vehicles to their LPG depots in the locality a couple of years ago. The villagers of Kusumati-Chhanaghara usually depend on the road to reach Jatni.
However, poor maintenance has made the road accident-prone. Several motorists especially bikers have met with accidents while negotiating potholes on the road. Sources said neither the two oil marketing companies nor the district administration has repaired the road in the last two years.
“The villagers of my panchayat are facing difficulties to reach Jatni due to the potholed road. Bikers are facing accidents at regular intervals. We have raised the issue with the authorities of two PSUs and the collector several times, but to no avail,” said Kusumati-Chhanghra sarpanch Rinabala Majhi.
HPCL depot manager SK Tripathy said they are taking steps to renovate the road as soon as possible. “Fifty per cent of the road has been renovated. We have invited tenders for repair of the remaining portion. The renovation work has been delayed due to rain,” he added. PNN
