Locals from 29 panchayats under Kujang block in Jagatsinghpur district staged a road blockade at Bhutamundai Chhak here on Tuesday protesting excess water from the Haladipani creek entering their villages.
They alleged that the district administration is yet to construct a siphon spillway and sluice gates to discharge excess rainwater from the creek.
Following the protest, vehicular communications were severely hit on the Paradip-Cuttack and Paradip-Chandikhol routes, added sources.
The excess rainwater from these panchayats used to flow into river Mahanadi through the creek, but now it has been completely chocked following which the water enters the villages, sources said.
The residents of the affected panchayats have been for a long demanding a siphon spillway at Chakradharpur and a culvert at Lokanathpada to discharge rainwater directly to the Mahanadi. They also demand construction of a sluice gate on the Mahanadi to control floodwaters.