World Bank assisted road projects to take off soon

The work on three projects under the World Bank assisted Orissa State Road Project (OSRP) is likely to start from October this year.

The projects, which include Berhampur-Taptapani, Chandbali-Bhadrakh-Anandapur and Bhawanipatna-Khariar Road projects, are delayed by 6 to 9 months.

“The work on these projects was delayed due to election and subsequently on account of monsoon. This is expected to start next month”, J M Nayak, chief engineer, World Bank projects told Business Standard.

He said, 80 percent of the cost of land acquisition has been deposited with the concerned district authorities and the money is being disbursed to the land losers. The shifting of the utilities will start soon. On the possible delay in the implementation of the project, he said, the contractors are using machines intensively and the work will be faster.

If there is delay beyond the time of completion of these projects, it will be extended. Nayak said, the work on the Chandbali-Bhadrakh-Anandapur and Bhawanipatna-Khariar Road project was to start from February this year and Berhampur-Taptapani was to start from November 2008. The visiting World Bank team yesterday reviewed the progress of work under this project. It centred on progress on land acquisition and changes required to put these projects on a fast track.

The team which made a visit to Bhawanipatna today is reported to have expressed its unhappiness over the slow progress of work. Sources said, while Rs 2.8 crore has been spent in Chandbali-Bhadrakh-Anandapur Road patch, Rs 45 lakhs has been spent on Berhampur-Taptapani road project.