Keonjhar: Several places in this district have been witnessing heavy traffic snarls owing to large number of trucks carrying minerals. Hundreds of mineral-laden trucks could be seen lined up for hours on Barbil-Badajamda (Jharkhand) road every day. What makes the situation worse is the slow pace of an ongoing railway overbridge project.
Mineral transportation on this route to different destinations also gets delayed due to the tardy pace of the project work. Though over bridge work has been completed by the railways, the approach roads on both sides have not yet been completed, locals said, adding that traffic jams have become a routine affair on this route.
Locals said school buses and ambulances on this route get stuck for hours due to heavy congestion. Local commuters are at the receiving end of the traffic stalemate. Reports said, tenders have been awarded for the road construction, but the work is yet to start.
As per information plaque, the road work began November 2, 2018 and completed November 1, 2020. PWD engineer Ashok Mohapatra, who is charge of road construction, said that as land has not been acquired for the road projects, work is getting delayed.
