Damaged Indragarh-Karada road in Phiringia of Kandhamal dists | Express
BERHAMPUR: Residents of around 15 villages in Phiringia block of Kandhamal district are facing a tough time travelling on the mud and pothole-ridden 20 km stretch between Indragarh and Karada.
Locals alleged that the stretch is in a poor state after rain caused extensive damage to the road. It is very difficult and risky to commute on the road.
Even people are deprived of emergency medical services as ambulance vehicles fail to enter the villages due to poor road condition. Mud and potholes have made commuting a nightmare for residents of Karada and Indragarh, 40 km away from Raikia town, they added.
Earlier, a bus was plying between Phulbani and Indragarh by the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC), but the service was stopped later for reasons best known to the authorities. Now the residents are depending on private transports for daily communication. Schools, hospital and anganwadi centre at Indragarh function with low attendance due to bad road condition. Even the Government officials rarely visit the areas. In emergency cases, patients and pregnant women are carried on slings or cots to the hospital, they said.
“The road worsens every monsoon. This year, the road has turned precarious. Despite several requests, the district administration did not listen to our demand. So, we have decided to resort to agitation demanding repair of the road,” said a villager of Indragarh.
