Bolangir action committee has decided to intensify it agitation for a by pass road. “We will organise a public protest on 24 January against the apathy of administration and government in failing to provide a by pass road,” declared Gopalji Panigrahi while charting out action plan in a meeting that was also attended by representatives of several organisation.
At present two national highways 26 and 57 pass through Bolangir town but lack of by pass road or ring road creates heavy traffic and related problems. The government had approved a plan to lay a bypass several years ago. According to plan road to be built from Biramuna village on NH 26 to Bijakhaman over NH 57 (Titlagarh road ) passing through Sadaipali, Larkipali laltikra and Patnagarh road near medical college.
In second phase another road to be construct starting from Madhiapali over NH 26 to Bijakhaman over NH 57 passing through Puintala, Bishnumunda, khujenpali was proposed. The then Bolangir MLA cum Minister, presently RS MP, Mr A U Singh Deo had laid down a foundation stone at Bijakhaman way back in 2001.
But inexplicably nothing has moved since then. Latter in 2009, the road project was approved by the centre and in 2013 the government deposited Rs 36 crore for land acquisition . Another Rs 6.46 crore was provided towards contingency and administrative expenses.
However in all these year by pass of west flank from Biramunda to Bijakhaman got half done that too due to construction of road by IDCO for five km of road falls under it limit. Remain six km of road out of total 11 km at west flank to be constructed by the public works department has not started .
Delay in forest clearances and land acquisition is said to have held up the project work. Similarly in east flank of town ,12 km of bypass that was proposed from Madhiapali to Bijakhaman is hanging fire and cost escalation has made progress even more difficult. In the meantime the project cost has gone up many fold due to increase in land valuation and subsequent land acquisition cost.
Official sources say that in present state acquisition cost alone may go up Rs 200 crore apart of construction which had come as a set back for the road project.