TNI Bureau: All 68 wayside amenity centres currently undergoing renovation in Odisha will be made operational by next month, it was decided at a recent review meeting.

Of the 68 centres, 18 were constructed by the tourism department, while the remaining 50 were set up by the works department. These centres are located along national highways, state highways and important roads leading to tourist destinations. They provide parking facilities, toilets and rest sheds for travellers. However, due to lack of maintenance, many had fallen into disrepair and some were abandoned.

Officials of the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) said that repair and maintenance work of the tourism department’s 18 centres has been completed, except for the one at Jharbeda in Sundargarh district, where there is no approach road. OTDC is also carrying out repair work on the 50 centres of the works department.

The department has directed OTDC to complete all remaining work by the end of February. Tourism development officers have been instructed to conduct regular visits to the centres, supervise security, sanitation and maintenance staff, and report any deficiencies within two weeks so that they can be addressed.