Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has sought the intervention of Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari for the early completion of the four laning of the 265 km of NH 55 connecting Sambalpur with Cuttack.
It is a matter of concern that even after more than five years, work on the four-lane carriageway is yet to be completed, Patnaik wrote to Gadkari.
NH 55 serves as lifeline to millions of people of western Odisha and haphazard construction activities have led to frequent accidents, he said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the media on Saturday.
“During the last two years 399 accidents have taken place causing 196 fatalities. There is public agitation and discontentment among the people for the inordinate delay in completion of the road work,” he said.
The chief minister said the progress of the project is being reviewed along with the regional authorities of NHAI at regular intervals but there is no satisfactory visible outcome.
The state government has communicated the matter to the union road transport and highways ministry earlier, he said.
