NHAI’s laxity turns NH-55 into deathtrap

Even though Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that the Central Government is working on developing electric highways powered by solar energy, the National Highway Authority of India’s (NHAI) step-motherly attitude towards Odisha has turned many National Highways in the State into death traps, hit economic development and brought untold hardship for the commuters.

For example, the pothole filled the Cuttack-Angul and Sambalpur -Angul section of NH-55 has cost more than 400 lives in the last four years.

The inordinate delay in the expansion and revamp work of NH-55 has triggered huge resentment among people. Despite repeated protests in Rairakhol, Dhenkanal and other areas and intervention of political representatives including Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to speed up the work,