Incomplete fly over adds to woes of commuters

Rourkela: In the absence of a fly-over, a population of over 80,000 residing in Basanti Colony, Daily Market and Uditnagar area are facing a lot of inconveniences in daily commuting. Now they largely depend upon the level-crossing route while going to different destinations besides official and marketing purposes.

Locals say if the fly-over over the railway level-crossing at Basanti Colony lying incomplete is completed, it will ease traffic congestion to a large extent. Most of the time, the level crossing gate remain closed when trains pass off, leaving the commuters in traffic snarl-ups.

As the Rourkela railway station is 3 km from the level crossing, most of the time people get stuck in traffic jam after shutdown of the level crossing gate, informed Bulu Mohanty, Councilor of Basanti Colony. South Eastern Railways (SER) sources said 145 to 150 express and good trains ply on the route on daily basis.

Another reason for the rush at the level crossing is due to presence of most of the offices like Police headquarter, Regional Transport office, Court, Tehsil, Rourkela Development Authority, Municipality, In-come Tax, ITDA, Sub-Collector office, ADM office, and many schools and colleges in Uditnagar area. Apart from this, Daily Market is the other.

Sources said though work of a fly-over over the railway level-crossing was started way back in 2008 by PWD at an estimated cost of Rs. 15 crore, it has remained incomplete and led to cost overrun to Rs. 9.23 crore.

Binder Singh, a local alleged that last year around 10 accidents had taken place at the level crossing. In summer and rainy season, commuters face a harrowing time while waiting for the gate to open. They have to wait for at least 10 to 20 minutes, he added.

The district administration should take steps towards completion of the fly-over, he demanded.

Congress supporters led by Nihar Ray, District President yesterday protested against apathy of the civil authorities in completing the fly-over. Chief Executive Engineer, Design Planning and Investigation (DPI) and Roads Bijan Kumar Behera, who have came for site inspection from Bhubaneswar, was unable to properly explain what delays the work when enquired by Ray.

PWD executive engineer, Rourkela, U C Mishra admitted the problems faced by commuters in the absence of the fly-over. He said the fly-over work will be completed by May this year.