Bhubaneswar: The Odisha govt on Wednesday announced the formation of a special team to monitor major road infrastructure projects after three BJP Lok Sabha MPs raised concerns over delays, slow progress and quality issues in separate representations. Works minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said the govt has sought status reports on all projects flagged by MPs and will review the matter on Thursday. “I have sought status reports on the issues raised by the MPs. We will review the matter tomorrow. A special task team will be formed to closely monitor these projects and ensure their timely completion,” Harichandan told media persons.Three Lok Sabha members have separately flagged poor progress, delays and quality concerns in major road infrastructure projects in their constituencies seeking urgent intervention and accountability by govt. In separate representations to the Odisha govt, the MPs raised issues ranging from alleged sub-standard work in Berhampur’s Gate Bazaar flyover to stalled highway expansion in Subarnapur and delays in Nabarangpur bypass project.In a letter to CM Mohan Charan Majhi, Berhampur Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy sought an independent technical audit of the under-construction Gate Bazaar flyover, citing complaints from residents, commuters and local organisations over the alleged use of low-grade materials, project delays and inadequate oversight. He warned that growing public anxiety over safety had revived memories of the Bomikhal flyover collapse in Bhubaneswar in 2017, which killed two persons, and demanded fixed timelines and accountability for contractors and supervising engineers.In western Odisha, Balangir MP Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo wrote to works minister Prithiviraj Harichandan and urged the state govt to reassign the execution of the Rs 680crore Sambalpur-Sonepur road widening and strengthening project, alleging there had been “no visible progress on the ground” despite the work being entrusted to OB&CC Ltd. She suggested shifting the project to the R&B division, Sonepur, for better monitoring and timely completion.Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi demanded an inquiry into what he termed the “extreme delay” in construction of the Nabarangpur bypass road. In his letter to the works department, Majhi had said though the project was awarded in Dec 2024 with a 24-month completion period, only about 10% physical progress had been achieved after nearly 21 months. He cautioned that the slow pace would likely result in missed deadlines and continued traffic congestion, while also seeking additional underpasses and ROBs along the corridor.
