Sambalpur Roads Collapse Weeks After Repairs, Monsoon Exposes Shoddy Work
Barely a month after undergoing festival-related resurfacing, key roads across Sambalpur have deteriorated rapidly with the onset of monsoon, revealing extensive damage including potholes and cracked surfaces. Commuters, particularly two-wheeler riders and schoolchildren, face serious risk navigating the broken stretches, which have caused multiple accidents and traffic snarls. Residents are outraged, pointing to substandard repairs carried out hurriedly before the Sital Sasthi festival and a lack of accountability from civic and public works authorities.
The roads, which were given a cosmetic facelift in early June, began to peel within weeks. Deep potholes, sunken stretches, and uneven surfaces now define several arterial routes. Among the worst affected is the Ainthapali–Laxmi Talkies Square stretch, a crucial gateway to the city, where cratered lanes near GM University have become accident-prone zones. Adjacent roads like Church Road and the Dhuchrapada flyover route towards the Mahila police station are equally perilous, with vehicles frequently forced to take detours that further clog nearby streets. Despite the widespread deterioration, the civic response has been minimal. Makeshift plastic caution signs mark a few danger points, but no significant repair efforts are underway. The Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the Public Works Department (PWD) have been accused of evading accountability, as complaints continue to pour in.
Local community representatives argue that public funds are being wasted on superficial, short-term solutions that cannot withstand a single monsoon cycle. They allege that patchwork was completed in haste to meet festival deadlines, compromising quality and safety. “It’s a recurring pattern—poor planning, rushed patchwork, and zero monitoring. The roads fail, and so does public trust,” said a civic activist from Sambalpur. Adding to the frustrations, there has been no clear communication from municipal authorities. With no public advisory or clear repair schedule, residents remain in the dark. Elderly pedestrians, school-going children, and two-wheeler riders remain the most vulnerable, navigating roads that are riddled with hidden craters and loose gravel.
Responding to the backlash, SMC officials admitted that instructions had been issued to the PWD to begin repair work. However, they cited persistent rainfall as the reason for the delay, stating that any fresh bitumen work carried out during wet conditions would be ineffective. As the city waits for a dry spell, civic pressure is mounting for long-term solutions rather than cosmetic pre-festival fixes. The repeated failure of newly tarred roads raises serious questions about construction standards, contractor accountability, and the efficacy of public infrastructure planning. Until substantial change is initiated, Sambalpur’s road crisis seems destined to repeat with every season.
