Sonepur: The pace of development in Subarnapur district has failed to gain momentum, with several projects remaining incomplete even after decades. The situation has triggered public debate about the district’s growth trajectory. One of the most awaited projects was the construction of a ring road around Subarnapur town, envisaged to protect residents from the recurring floods of the Mahanadi and Tel rivers. The foundation stone for the project was laid in 2011 by then Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
However, 14 years on, the project is still far from completion. Owing to constant tussles between the Works and Water Resources departments, the long-cherished project has now plunged into uncertainty. The contract for constructing the crucial portal frame bridge was awarded to ARSS Infrastructure Projects Ltd, but the firm abandoned the work midway.
Although the bridge was scheduled for completion in 2022, only 10 per cent of the work has been done. For the past two-and-a-half years, construction has remained stalled, leaving people to wonder when the project will finally be completed and when they can avail themselves of its benefits. Initially, the Water Resources Department had built earthen embankments to protect the growing town from floods and ease traffic congestion.
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But since the missing link — the portal bridge — could not be designed, the work was transferred to the Works Department. The department subsequently built a 1,500-metre embankment road from the Mahanadi bridge and a 2,400-metre stretch from the Tel bridge up to Badabazar, along with retaining walls and two large culverts. However, the vital 1,150-metre portal frame bridge from Kumbharpada to Dasamatighat could not be built.
Six-and-a-half years ago, a tender worth Rs 56.09 crore was floated, with funding from the Water Resources Department. The plan included 45 piers and two abutments, but delays in providing drawings and designs for pier points by senior officials stalled progress. The contractor showed negligence, completed only a few piers, and eventually abandoned the project, citing losses. Subsequently, the Works Department in Subarnapur prepared a fresh cost estimate of Rs 81.15 crore for the remaining work.
The Superintending Engineer of Works Department in Subarnapur forwarded the proposal for the tender to the Office of the Engineer-in-Chief in Bhubaneswar. Although the Water Resources Department had sanctioned Rs 56 crore earlier, the project now requires additional funds owing to delays. It remains uncertain whether the department will release the extra amount.
Recently, the Engineer-in-Chief of the Works Department wrote to his counterpart in the Water Resources Department, seeking administrative approval and the required funds so that tenders could be invited. But no response has been received yet, leaving the portal frame bridge project mired in uncertainty.
