Narsinghpur,29th July 2025: At Panchamukhi Chhak near Paikapada Patana in Narsinghpur Block headquarters, the passenger waiting shelter has remained broken and dilapidated for several years. Due to the absence of a functional shelter, commuters—especially college students—are facing serious inconvenience. They are left with no choice but to suffer in extreme weather, whether under the scorching summer sun, during heavy rainfall, or in the cold winter months.
According to sources, an asbestos-roofed rest shed near Panchamukhi Chhak had long turned into a dumping ground, creating an unhygienic and foul-smelling environment. Years ago, it was abandoned. Last year, a large banyan tree at the site was cut down and the old shelter building was completely demolished with the intention of rebuilding it. However, even after a year has passed, there has been no progress on constructing the new waiting shelter.
As a result, passengers are left to stand helplessly by the roadside, often crowding under trees or in front of nearby shops. This intersection serves as a key transit point for hundreds of daily commuters traveling to Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Angul, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Nayagarh, Khordha, Daspalla, Kamaladihi, and other locations. Students from various government and private colleges and coaching centers in Narsinghpur are particularly affected due to the lack of shelter facilities.
With no alternative arrangements, passengers are seen standing or sitting wherever possible, in extremely pitiable conditions. Additionally, the historic passenger rest house near the Narsinghpur Club Chhak has become severely dilapidated. Piles of garbage have taken over the seating areas, and an elderly woman has been living in the abandoned building for many years. The location is so unhygienic that people are reluctant to even approach it.
Similarly, the old rest shelter near Narsinghpur College has become a hub for discarded alcohol bottles and other waste, creating an unhealthy environment. Though a foundation stone was laid for a new rest shelter, construction has not yet started. This has left students and travelers in prolonged discomfort.
There is a growing demand that the administration should immediately resume construction of all passenger waiting shelters and establish a permanent, hygienic solution for the benefit of commuters and students.