Bhubaneswar, Mar 25 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has sought personal intervention of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari for early completion of the Cuttack-Angul-Sambalpur section of NH-55.

In a letter to Gadkari, the Chief Minister said rehabilitation and up-gradation of Cuttack- Sambalpur national highway (0.400 km to 265 km) to four-lane carriageway is being carried out by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) since 2017.

It is a matter of great concern that even after more than five years, up-gradation work is yet to be completed, he said.

Stating that the Cuttack-Sambalpur section of NH-55 serves as lifeline to millions of people of the Western Odisha, Patnaik said, "Haphazard construction activities and miserable plight of the road causes frequent accidents leading to loss of human lives."

During the last two years, as many as 399 accidents have taken place causing 196 fatalities, Patnaik pointed out.

There is public agitation and discontentment among the people for inordinate delay in completion of the road work. The concern of the state government on this count has also been communicated to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways earlier, he mentioned.

Though progress of the instant project is being reviewed with the regional authorities of NHAI at regular intervals, no satisfactory outcome is visible, he added.

He urged Gadkari to intervene in the matter for early completion of the project which will go a long way in redressing the pending demand of the people of the state.