Bhubaneswar: Back-to-back landslides triggered by heavy downpour disrupted repair work at the Kalinga Ghat in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, prompting the authorities to keep the road closed till September 30.
Officials said the decision to close the ghat road for traffic was taken by the Kandhamal District Collector after fresh landslidel on Monday forced the suspension of restoration work.
Incessant rain coupled with thunderstorms loosened rocks on the hillside. As a result, boulders came crashing down on Monday afternoon while workers were clearing debris and trying to create a temporary passage for light vehicles. No one was injured in the incident.
Sources said water flowing from the hilltop also washed away soil and construction materials, disrupting restoration work. A private contractor engaged for the job has been given a seven-day deadline for building a temporary road,
Repeated landslides have severely affected traffic movement on the key Ranchi-Vijayawada route, disrupting road connectivity between Ganjam, Kandhamal and western Odisha.
It may be recalled that a massive landslide on September 16 had already caused extensive damage and blocked the ghat.
