Odisha government raps NHAI for poor road upkeep in Mayurbhanj district

BHUBANESWAR: With Mayurbhanj district witnessing more road accidents and Dwarsuni ghat on NH-49 under Bangiriposi police limits taking more lives, the State government on Wednesday asked the regional office of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to fix the road problems without delay.

Writing to the Chief General Manager of NHAI regional office here, Principal Secretary of Transport department Bishnupada Sethi expressed his displeasure over the callousness and negligence of Project Director, NHAI Balasore, to safety measures and maintenance of the roads coming under the authority.

Sethi said Mayurbhanj district is one of the vulnerable districts from the point of road safety. During 2021, 540 accidents occurred in the district in which 312 people died. There are 13 black spots in the district as per the accident data for 2017-2019.

Dwarsuni ghat is a hazardous spot in the district on which two-third accidents occur every month, as informed by the Majurbhanj Collector. The issue is regularly discussed in the District Road Safety Committee (DRSC) meetings.

"In spite of intimation to attend the meeting of DRSC, the Project Director of NHAI, Balasore never feels it necessary to attend the meeting and insteadsends his representatives which indicates his negligent attitude towards road safety, orders of Collector, Mayurbhanj and directions of the Supreme Court committee," the letter said.

It is a fact that the DRSCs are formed as per the provisions of MV Act. The apex court committee also emphasises to hold the meeting of DRSCs regularly. The representatives who attend the meeting on behalf of the Project Director express their inability to repair this stretch till 4-laning work is taken up. "Human lives are not so cheap to be sacrificed till the road is converted to 4 laning," Sethi said.

Enclosing a road survey report by Mayurbhanj RTO and photographs of NH at various locations, Sethi said the photos show a gloomy picture as NH roads lack safety measures. The attitude of NHAI, Odisha, towards safety measures is quite discouraging, he said.

In the last decade, about 45,000 people have died due to road accidents in the State and most of them are young people and bread earners of their families.