Protest disrupts traffic for 12 hours on NH-53 over delayed expansion and safety concerns

JAJPUR: Hundreds of people, including college students, staged a road blockade and demonstration near Kabatabandha village in Jenapur for nearly 12 hours on Monday, demanding the immediate completion of NH-53 expansion work between Chandikhole and Duburi and the construction of a second bridge over the Brahmani River.

The agitators, under the aegis of Sachetan Nagarika Manch, alleged that due to the slow progress of the four-laning work, several accidents have occurred on the national highway, leading to numerous fatalities.

“The Chandikhole-Duburi stretch of NH-53 has turned into a death trap due to the delay in the expansion work, which has been ongoing for the last couple of years. We want the fulfilment of our seven-point charter of demands, including the immediate completion of the NH widening work, the construction of a second Brahmani bridge near Kabatabandha village, and a traffic system to ensure the safe commute of college students,” said the convenor of the Manch, Saroj Behera.