CUTTACK: The ongoing six-laning work on NH-5 from Bhubaneswar through Cuttack is facing stiff opposition from locals over non-provisioning of underpasses and crossways at major interjections. Residents of several villages along the NH, on the outskirts of Cuttack under the Nagarik Surakhya Manch, have decided to stage a dharna at Gopalpur on Tuesday to press for including the facilities in the project plans. The villagers alleged that some vital and major thoroughfares along the highway as the Gopalpur Kathjodi bridge end, Balikuda and Bamphakuda have not been provisioned with underpasses in the six-laning project plans. As a result, thousands of people living in the villages on both sides of the Highway would face serious problems in accessing each other. Commuting traffic from Gopalpur to Gobindpur and Sankhatrasha, from Balikuda Chhak to Barang Banki and from Bamphakuda to Amana and Sasola is quite heavy with hundreds of people having to frequent the roads daily. “While provisions have been made for vehicular underpasses at Pratap Nagari and Telengapentha along with other areas as Kacharamal, Bhanpur, Paikasahi and Dehuri Sahi, these vital parts have been overlooked. The joint inspection by NHAI authorities, engineers and Commissionerate Police Traffic officials had also recommended underpasses in these areas but they have not been included,” Manch convenor Pradip Behera complained. The locals have also alleged that the six-laning plan was fraught with deficiencies which would lead to severe drainage and waterlogging problems owing to the construction of flyovers from Khan Nagar to Sikharpur. There is no provisioning of underpasses or service roads at many parts along the highway passing through Cuttack city, the Manch stated.
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