NH-49 safety in Deogarh district has come under renewed focus after Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan urged Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari to order infrastructure upgrades at congestion and accident-prone locations along the highway.
In a letter to Gadkari, Pradhan sought the construction of a flyover, an underpass and service roads, along with improved lighting on the National Highway-49 stretch passing through Deogarh. He said the highway carries heavy interstate freight traffic as well as local vehicles, creating safety risks at locations where high-speed movement intersects with town traffic and pedestrian activity.
One of the locations identified in the letter is the Y-junction near Ambedkar Square, at the entry point of the Deogarh bypass. Pradhan said the junction faces pressure from highway traffic and movement connected to nearby institutions, including the collectorate, the new bus stand and a women’s college. He requested an elevated flyover, a dedicated service road and adequate highway lighting for the area.
The MP also flagged Birsa Munda Square, where State Highway-21 on the Deogarh-Angul route merges with NH-49 near the town limits. According to the letter, fast-moving highway traffic and local vehicles converge at the junction, increasing the risk of accidents. Pradhan proposed properly designed slip roads and a vehicle-friendly underpass to reduce the conflict points and improve traffic flow.
The safety concerns extend beyond the two junctions. Pradhan highlighted rapidly urbanising settlements such as Kala, Kandhal and Tileibani, where rising residential activity has increased pedestrian and local vehicle movement along the highway. He sought service roads equipped with roadside drains, pedestrian guardrails and highway lighting to separate local traffic from through traffic.
The proposed measures are intended to address the changing relationship between the highway and settlements along its route. NH-49 serves freight movement across the region, while the same corridor is used by residents travelling to local institutions, bus facilities and nearby settlements. The measures requested in the letter would separate different kinds of road users at junctions and built-up stretches.
Pradhan asked Gadkari to intervene personally and direct the National Highways Authority of India to approve the proposed works on priority. The report does not state whether the ministry or the highways authority has accepted the proposals, announced a project timeline or allocated funds for the requested interventions.
