BERHAMPUR: Imagine a project conceptualised 33 years ago and yet far from completion.
The Ghatakeswar multi-purpose project, meant to supply water not only for irrigation but also drinking purposes, is one of the few for which the foundation stone was laid by two chief ministers. It was way back on October 6, 1986 that the then chief minister J B Patnaik laid the foundation stone of the project. It was meant to address drought on the upstream of Ghadaka nullah, considered the lifeline of farmers from several villages of Kankia panchayat under Kukudahandi block. The project is also aimed at supplying drinking water to Silk City.

However, red-tapism and lack of earnestness meant that the ambitious project in the home turf of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik remained only on pen and paper. After more than two decades, a ray of hope emerged as the Water Resources department prepared a detailed project report. It was followed by Naveen laying its foundation stone again in June 2016. A target was set to complete the work within 30 months. 
The project, the cost of which had escalated to `118 crore, was also given clearance by the Forest department. Since it would submerge Koilikote village, inhabited by 45 Scheduled Caste families, a rehabilitation colony was built for 25 of them near Kankia village.

The tender for the project was floated in October 2016 by Odisha Construction Corporation Limited (OCCL) and the lowest bidder was selected. It was sent to a high-powered committee for approval. But as OCCL is authorised to float tenders of projects below `100 crore, it was cancelled.

A tender was once again floated in 2017 and the cost was reduced to `111 crore. Four firms participated in the bidding process and M/s SN Construction, Visakhapatanam was given the tender. The firm deposited around `11 crore. But till date, no work order has been issued to the company. It has not even been asked to sign an agreement. With the State Government hiking the wages of labourers, the cost of the project has gone up.

Now, SN Construction has urged the State Government to either allow it to sign an agreement with a revised cost or refund the amount it had deposited as additional performance security (APS). With this, the the fate of the project hangs in balance. It remains to be seen if it breaks the record for most foundation stones laid for a project or maybe it could set a benchmark in official apathy towards regional development.