Anandpur, 31st Oct 2025: Due to heavy rainfall caused by the large sea storm ‘Mozza’, water has accumulated in a big ditch on the Yuad National Highway. This led to a major traffic jam today on the Shalapada Service Road of National Highway 20.
As a result, people suffered for 6 hours on the road. This morning, a vehicle fell into the ditch on the left side and got stuck in the middle of the road. Consequently, traffic from Kendujhar side to the right side and vice versa came to a halt. Traveling by bicycle or bike also became difficult. Ambulances and passenger buses were stuck on the road. Some buses and other vehicles diverted via Deogaon-Ramchandrapur. Despite people struggling on the road for hours, police or administration were not present. After repairing the broken truck, traffic returned to normal around 12 PM.
Local residents have demanded that heavy vehicle movement be restricted until road construction is completed, warning that they may resort to protests if not addressed.
It is noteworthy that it has been 7 years since the construction of National Highway 20 was completed, yet according to National Highway Department reports, only 500 meters of the Shalapada road has been constructed. Due to the inefficiency of the Highway Department, even after engaging three contractors, the work remains incomplete.
Shalapada Square, located in the Anandpur municipality, connects Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, and Bhadrak districts. There has long been a demand to construct an underpass near ITI Shalapada. Construction began 9 months ago. For the past 6 months, the main road has been closed, forcing all vehicles onto the service road. This has consistently caused traffic problems, as thousands of trucks carrying iron ore daily from various mines in Kendujhar use the service road, creating hazards for the public.
Often, ambulances and other emergency vehicles get stuck. Even light rain causes waterlogging, making travel difficult for bike riders and ordinary citizens. Earlier, the contractor had promised to complete construction in June, then July, but even after three more months, the work remains unfinished.
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