Paralakhemundi,(Tarini Prasad Panda): Road connectivity between Rayagada and Mohana in Gajapati district was disrupted on Wednesday after a major portion of NH-326A caved in near the Rajapur river bridge under Rayagada block, leaving a huge crater in the middle of the road.
The collapse is suspected to have been caused by the strong flow of floodwater following Cyclone Arnab and continuous heavy rainfall over the past few days, which weakened the road structure.
Following the incident, the police and district administration immediately closed the affected stretch to traffic as a safety measure. Officials reached the spot and barricaded the dangerous portion with safety tape and tree branches to prevent commuters and motorists from falling into the deep crater.
Police personnel were deployed to alert road users, while several vehicles remained stranded on both sides of the damaged stretch.
The collapse has severely affected regional connectivity, as hundreds of vehicles use this vital highway every day. Local residents have demanded immediate restoration of the road on a war footing to resume normal traffic between Rayagada and Mohana.
