Bangiriposhi: A massive traffic jam on the National Highway-49 passing through the Dwarasuni ghat in Mayurbhanj district has left many truckers and passenger vehicles stranded for the last four days and kept the highway out of bounds for pedestrians.
Sources said that the ghat road under this block has remained gridlocked for the last four days with containers, trucks, passenger vehicles and two-wheelers seen stranded in a 13-km long traffic snarl on the highway in the middle of a forest.
The traffic jam occurred after three vehicles broke down on the ghat road. The situation worsened due to the delay in arrival of cranes to tow away the vehicles. Such is the situation that a vehicle takes around four hours to cross the stretch of the highway, commuters alleged.
An ambulance was also seen stuck on the route for over four hours. Officegoers could not attend their offices and several youths travelling for the OSSC examination could not appear for the test after remaining stranded on the route.
The traffic jam, around 13 km in length, led to a harrowing experience for commuters. They alleged that the traffic jam had occurred due to the apathetic attitude and negligence of police and administrative officials.
Left with no option, commuters were seen hurriedly searching for drinking water. They alleged that the police personnel are making no effort to smooth the plying of the vehicles while the officials of the regional transport department are also not properly verifying the cargo-laden vehicles.
Helpless truckers are reportedly surviving by cooking and consuming food inside their vehicles. Some of the trucks were carrying essential commodities, sources said.
Earlier, several political leaders and ministers had assured to take up renovation of the highway and make it safer for travelling. However, as no construction works were taken up, the stretch of the highway at Dwarasuni ghat is witnessing frequent traffic jams and severe accidents leading to loss of lives and properties.
PNN