Thousands of bikers, small and heavy vehicles suffered traffic jams in city on Friday after the Bhubaneswar-Satapada National Highway was cut off to clear the water logging in a vast part of the pilgrim city.
Since a vast area towards west of the city remained waterlogged for many days, the administration finally chose to detach the patch connecting Biraharekursnapur to Manglaghat Chhak of the NH.
Due to the cut-off of the bypass road, hundreds of heavy vehicles aiming Bhubaneswar diverted their routes to the city that caused huge traffic jam in many areas.
Sources said the administration took the drastic step to rescue the people from water logging in many low-lying areas including Atharna, Matitota, Batamangala, besides the north portion. Around 30,000 people are still living in houses surrounded by water in their localities due to continued rains over a month.
Despite several attempts of the administration, water level remained as it was and started worsening the conditions with boats and tyres being sources of communication.
After the construction of the bypass road near Biraharekrusnapur on the NH during the Nabakalebar Yatra, the adjoining localities have fallen low and there is no exit point for water after a heavy rain. Before taking decisions to cut off the NH, the administration had received permission of the NHAI.