DHEKANAL/BHUBNESWAR: GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited (GKEL) has started widening the road connecting Kantabania and Kamalanga in Dhenkanal district from the existing 3.75 meters to 5.5 meters. Widening of this road would enhance commuting facility of around 9,000 villagers of the area by enabling free two-way passage of vehicles on the road.
The widening of the road had been a long standing demand of the local villagers. “We have been facing trouble over the years. I can say GKEL is doing a good job,” said Gopinath Raj from Kamalanaga. Mr. K.V.V. Rao, Managing Director, GKEL, which is setting a 1,400 MW Coal-based Thermal Power Plant at Kamalanga, said: “The widening of the road will definitely improve the commuting facility of local villagers and give free two-way passage to vehicles. It will also help prevent accidents.” Both shoulders of the road have been damaged with deep pot holes causing accidents.
GKEL has already pumped in over Rs 1.5 crore for repairing the road and is currently spending close to Rs 1 crore for widening it. Earlier, GKEL has completed reconstructing the damaged hume pipe culvert along the Kantabania village road by laying 300 mm diameter hume pipe with head walls and aprons at both ends at an estimated cost of Rs 1.5 lakhs. GKEL, has also twice repaired the 2.6 km stretch of road between Kantabania and Mapur, the lifeline of more than 3,000 villagers, as a part of its CSR activities.
The DAV Public School set up by GKEL for local students near its plant site is operational. GKEL’s CSR arm is working to improve the quality of educational infrastructure in government schools surrounding its Project area.
GKEL has helped the Dhenkanal District Hospital set up and fully equip an Accident Care Unit, the first of its kind in Odisha. GKEL is also setting up a 30-bed state-of-art hospital through the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation. The company has been conducting regular health check-up camps and providing round-the-clock ambulance facility for benefit of the local villagers.
