NUAPADA/SAMBALPUR: Normal life came to a standstill in Khariar town of Nuapada district on Wednesday after residents under the banner of Sachetan Nagarik Manch, Khadial observed a 12-hour bandh demanding improvement of the traffic management system in the town.
During the bandh, effective from 7 am to 7 pm, all government and private offices, courts, educational institutions, banks and financial institutions, business establishments, shops and markets remained closed. Vehicles were off the roads as agitators picketed at several key places in the town including Khariar Block chowk, Thana chowk, and Ambedkar chowk.
Khariar NAC, Chairperson, Ujjwal Gupta, who led the bandh said, “Khariar is a growing town and located in the centre connecting Nuapada to other blocks including Sinapali and Boden. However, due to the pathetic condition of the NH-353 and in absence of a bypass road, a number of heavy vehicles and buses are passing through the town which is leading to a number of fatal accidents on daily basis.”
The construction of NH-353 passing along Khariar town has remained incomplete for more than 10 years now. Though we have called on the local representatives a number of times in the past, they are unmoved, he alleged. Moreover, due to lack of bypass road, the truck and bus drivers have been using the town roads and driving recklessly posing threat to commuters, added Gupta.
“We have three major demands - completion of the patch of NH-353 passing along Khariar, development of a bypass road here and a traffic control unit in the town which can address traffic problems. The bandh was meant to draw the attention of the state government,” informed Gupta.