Paradip: Norrow road keeps IOCL cargo stranded

PARADIP: A huge Odd Dimension Cargo (ODC) consignment procured by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) for its refinery project that landed at Paradip Port town on July 2 is yet to reach the project site at Sandhukuda.The PPT authorities are facing an herculean task to move the consignment, measuring 72 metres by 23 meters and weighing 995 metric tonne, to the IOCL refinery site.Absence of a road wide enough to facilitate movement of the huge self-propelled trailers that would be carrying the gigantic cargo to the site about 10 km from the port has the authorities worried.The major hindrance to the road-laying work through the Sandhukuda slum is the protests by the slum-dwellers demanding rehabilitation before laying road.Nearly 2,000 Telugu fishermen families have been living in the slum in Paradip Port since 1964.Though the State Government directed PPT to evict 445 families for construction of sea surge protection wall and laying of a pipeline for the refinery project, they could not be evicted due to protests.Sandhukuda councillor Akhaya Parida said the slumdwellers fear that there might not be any rehabilitation after eviction.Traffic Manager, PPT, Saroj Mishra said, “PPT has made all arrangements to widen the road to move the cargo to the oil refinery project. Several road-dividers, electricity poles, other structures and statues will be demolished.There is, however, no proposal to demolish the statue of Netaji but some parts of its structure will be demolished.” A new road is being laid near the slum for movement of the cargo for which IOCL is spending Rs 18 crore.Meanwhile, the gigantic cargo has aroused curiosity among residents. The locals, mainly children, are a making beeline to catch a glimpse of the elephantine objects.