JAGATSINGHPUR: Cracks have developed on many roads laid under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), exposing the sub-standard work carried out by contractors in the district.
The 13 km PMGSY road from Barti under Raghunathpur block to Palasol panchayat in Jagatsinghpur block is in bad shape despite being the lifeline of villagers of Palasol, Radhang, Redhua, Gualipur and Tanra.
Such is the condition of the road that villagers find it difficult to walk on it. In view of the bad road condition, ambulance drivers are unable to take the vehicles to the panchayats to receive patients, alleged villagers. Sources said lakhs of rupees have been spent on repair and maintenance of the road but the condition is yet to improve.
In 2016, the Rural Development (RD) department had awarded tender for construction of the road to a contractor at a cost of Rs 5.15 crore and set a target to complete it by 2017. However, two years after the deadline, the road is yet to be completed. Villagers said the contractor is carrying out repair work in patches which is sub-standard and of poor quality.
The 250 metre stretch of the road from canal embankment-7 to Redhua haat and two km portion from Bania Sahi and Baratira have turned into death traps as no work has been carried out on these patches. These two stretches are filled with potholes due to lack of maintenance.
Similar is the condition of the 2.281 km PMGSY road from Naugaon to Rohia. The road was completed in January this year at a cost of Rs 108.66 lakh. However, it has returned to its previous bad shape due to sub-standard work.
Former panchayat samiti member of Redhua Snehansu Jena said every year, the RD department is spending huge amount of money on the road but the condition is yet to improve. “We have approached the district administration in this regard several times in the past but to no avail. If the road condition is not improved soon, villagers will take to the streets,” he warned.
Villagers alleged that use of sub-standard construction materials like cement and rod and lack of supervision are main causes for the bad condition of roads.
Executive Engineer, RD department Anant Kumar Satpathy admitted that the PMGSY road from Barti and Palasol is in bad shape. As the contractor has not completed the road work within the stipulated time, the department has decided to float the tender again,” he said.