Bhubaneswar, July 29 (IANS) Taking serious note of the damage caused by incessant rainfall and flooding across Odisha, Works Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Wednesday directed departmental officials to undertake the immediate repair and restoration of roads and highways under the Works Department to restore traffic connectivity.
The minister has also directed the officials to take steps for repair of damaged government buildings.
He also reviewed the situation arising out of the low-pressure-induced rainfall and floods with Works Department Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh and other senior officials. The officials informed that Harichandan stressed the need for the speedy restoration and repair of damaged roads, bridges and government buildings in the affected areas.
Subsequently, the department issued directions to various agencies asking them to implement the state government’s instructions. The department sent letters to the Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation Limited (OBCC), the Engineer-in-Chief (Civil-cum-Roads), the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the regional office of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and all Chief Engineers of road, bridge and National Highway organisations, directing them to undertake the repair and restoration of damaged roads on a war footing.
The state government has also emphasised the need to restore normal traffic movement in the flood-affected areas at the earliest. The department has further treated the matter as “most urgent” and, through an official communication, instructed all field-level officers and engineers to continuously monitor the situation, take immediate necessary measures, and ensure the safe movement of the public by restoring damaged infrastructure without delay.
Notably, severe floods triggered by incessant rainfall and swelling rivers have claimed at least three lives and affected over 2 lakh people across several districts of Odisha.
The Revenue and Disaster Department revealed that as of Wednesday afternoon, as many as 748 villages in several districts of the state have been affected in these districts.
Meanwhile, around 30,000 persons have been evacuated from low-lying areas to safer places and relief centres in the six flood-affected districts.
–IANS
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