Panel to identify lacunae, recommend corrections

CUTTACK: With the six laning of the National Highway No. 5 between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack leading to local resentment over non-provisioning of ancillary passages, a technical committee will examine the whole stretch of the path and recommend correctional measures.The High Court-appointed Traffic Management Committee under the chairmanship of Bhubaneswar Cuttack Police Commissioner BK Sharma on Thursday constituted the Technical Committee which would visit the locations along the Highway on January 7. The Committee comprises project Director, NHAI, Executive Engineer of Roads and Buildings Department, DCP, Cuttack, ACP Traffic, Cuttack, local area representatives and members of the Advocates Committee.  They would identify the lacunae and necessity of passages as underpasses and flyovers at different locations and submit their report in a time frame. The issue has been under the scrutiny of the Orissa High Court with residents of  wards 52, 53 and 54 under the Cuttack Municipal Corporation filing a petition demanding construction of underpasses and over-bridges at important crossings along the highway. They have called for construction of underpasses at Gopalpur and Telengapentha while  flyovers should be built at Pratap Nagari and Balikuda Chhak, which is an important link from Cuttack to Banki and Nandankanan. Approach roads should also be constructed from Gopalpur to Phulnakhara, the local residents had demanded. The 10th meeting of the Traffic Committee which was attended by senior advocate Souryakanta Padhi under special instructions of the High Court also decided to demarcate space for temporary rehabilitation of the street vendors and fast food joints that had been evicted from the Gouri Shankar Park area earlier this month. The Committee has identified the Ghodasal area adjacent to the City Hospital, which has vacant land to accommodate the evicted street vendors. It also will have space for parking of vehicles. As many as 30 vendors can be accommodated in the area. The land belongs to the Works Department. The department would be requested to hand over the land on temporary basis for settling the vendors until alternative arrangements are made, sources in the committee said.