Passengers travelling on the NH-353 had a harrowing experience on Wednesday night as their buses could not pass through traffic in Khariar Road town of Nuapada district owing to Dussehra celebration.
Buses plying on this route between Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and different towns of Nuapada, Balangir and Kalahandi districts were stopped by police to make way for the locals to enjoy orchestra and opera the entire night on the National Highway.
“I was shocked when I saw hundreds of buses, including ours, had been stranded at both the entry points of the town,” said Purusottam, one of the passengers of Jaybhole bus (OD 08 9792), which was going to Raipur. “Our bus was stopped around 1.30 am and a police sub-inspector told us that as the naat was being played on the road, no vehicle could pass through before 5 am,” he added.
Purusottam, who is working as a communication expert in Azim Premji Foundation, had to attend an urgent meeting at Dhamtari the next morning. He was travelling with his family and was supposed to switch transport at Raipur to reach his workplace on time. When he contacted IIC, Khariar Road and requested him to look into the matter, the IIC expressed his helplessness. He said, the bus owners had been informed about it.
But the bus staff say that they had not been informed.
“We had information that the celebration was on Monday night on the occasion of Dashami, but we did not know that it was postponed till Wednesday,” the bus staff said.
Till morning, the passengers even could not get water to drink as they were halted at the entry points to the town. “All our requests to the police were in vain. We were held up for the last seven hours,” rued a passenger.
Purusottam has filed a complaint with the district Superintendent of Police and requested him to act. “The SP told me over telephone this morning that he would look into the matter,” he said.