“It seems that the state government is not serious about the festival. There is no progress in communication facilities and basic amenities for people who throng Puri. No steps have been taken, though the chief minister claims of personally supervising the work,” Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan said at a conference in Bhubaneswar. Harichandan said the construction of infrastructure projects are going at a snail’s pace and could not be completed in time for the festival.
Senior Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohaptara said as no strict timeline is followed for completion, all projects, including sewerage, railway line, foot-overbridge, bus terminal, electrification, are running behind schedule. Biju Janata Dal spokesperson Samir Das said the government is doing its best to complete all projects before the beginning of grand festival in the state. (IANS)