Bhubaneswar: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has urged the union road transport & highways minister Nitin Gadkari to take necessary steps for early completion of Rehabilitation and Up-gradation of Cuttack-Angul-Sambalpur Section of NH-55. Patnaik in a letter written on Saturday to the union minister has expressed concern over the delay in the project work.
“It is a matter of great concern that even after more than 5 years, up-gradation work is yet to be completed “, the CM has pointed out in the letter.
The NH from Km.0.400 to Km0265.000 to 4-lane carriageway is being carried out by NHAI since 2017.
‘”The above section of NH-55 serves as lifeline to millions of people of the Western Odisha. Haphazard construction activities and miserable plight of the road causes frequent accidents leading to loss of human lives. During last two years, as many as 399 accidents have taken place causing 196 fatalities. There is public agitation and discontentment among the people for inordinate delay in completion of the road work.”
It is worth mentioning that the concern of State Government on this count has also been communicated to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways earlier. Progress of the instant project is being reviewed with the Regional Authorities of NHAI at regular intervals but no satisfactory outcome is visible.
Patnaik has sought the union minister intervention for early completion of the project which according to him will go a long way in redressing the pending demand of the people of the State,
