Keonjhar: Local residents Sunday demanded at least three flyover bridges at Suakati Mine Square, Putulpani Mine Square and Suakati-Anjar Road on NH-49 to ease heavy traffic congestion here in the district.
“Due to frequent transportation of iron ores from Gandhamardan mines at Suakati area under Bansapal block, the National Highway remains jammed thereby causing severe traffic snarls,” the locals alleged.
The road congestion has disrupted civic life to an extent, they added. Hundreds of vehicles can be seen halted everyday in two or three rows alongside the highway connecting Mumbai and Kolkata while trucks are being loaded with minerals for hours together.
Locals resented that neither mining companies concerned nor police administration are taking any step to resolve the problem. Despite road accidents occurring frequently, the authorities are in limbo.
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Several heavy vehicles move in wrong routes to avoid traffic jam. Trucks lined on a long patch of the highway, is a common sight here.
Moreover, the NH-49 has signages mentioning that it has corridors at some places, which are meant for convenient movement of elephants. Construction of the flyovers would ease the movement of the pachyderms, they opined.
PNN