NH-49 Neglect Sparks Public Outrage: Rising Accidents, Political Inaction May Impact Upcoming Panchayat

NH-49 Neglect Sparks Public Outrage: Rising Accidents, Political Inaction May Impact Upcoming Panchayat election                                         

                                                                                        Jharsuguda, 24|2(The future guider)-NH-49 neglected despite ministers and MPs, work not done despite repeated demands, intense discontent among the public, fear of impact on the upcoming panchayat and general elections, , 24/1, National Highway 49. The unsightly condition of the AG Highway is a source of concern for the general public. Why is it that accidents occur on this highway every day and the general public dies? There is a public discussion in the district and Brajrajnagar constituency that the MPs and former MPs representing the district and the current minister have not taken any meaningful steps for the improvement of this highway. Although many accidents have occurred on this national highway in the past, especially after the death of 5 police personnel in an accident on the 22nd, such discussions and criticism have started in the district. There is a public discussion in the district about why this highway is not being improved despite the presence of 2 senior politicians in the district. If we go into the history of this highway, in the BJP government at the center in 2002, Odisha's Deogarh MP Dr. Devendra Pradhan became the Transport Minister. In addition, in 2002, this road was declared as National Highway 200. Then, in the 2004 elections, Dharmendra Pradhan was elected. At that time, the Congress government was in power at the center. After winning the elections, the MP fought for the people of the region. As a result, this highway was extended from Bilaspur to Chandikhol and was declared as National Highway 49 in 2007. With this, the expansion work of this highway started in 2007. Then, in 2009, Congress MP Sanjay Bhoi, BJD MP Dr. Prabhas Singh, Suresh Pujari of BJP in 2019 and Pradeep Purohit of BJP are currently elected as MPs and are representing the region. However, no representative has taken any significant steps for the improvement of the highway and the four-lane road. Time is just passing by on the pretext of files and DPRs. Meanwhile, Suresh Pujari, who is currently a minister in the Odisha government, is known as an influential leader at the national level. The minister was previously elected as the MP from Bargarh in 2019. At that time, the BJP government was also at the center. Despite this, no improvement was made to the highway. As a result, there is a discussion in the intelligentsia that no concrete steps have been taken for the improvement of the highway despite the presence of two influential leaders in the district. Political commentators are of the opinion that this will have a negative impact in the upcoming panchayat and general elections.