JEYPORE: Frequent landslides for the past few days on the Dakri ghat stretch under the Boipariguda block of Koraput district have discouraged devotees from visiting the Gupteswar shrine. This has led to a reduction in traffic flow on the route. Sources said, the ongoing road upgradation work by the public works department between Ramgiri and Gupteswar, has contributed to land degradation thus increasing the frequency of landslides on the stretch during rains.
The famous Shiva temple is thronged by devotees every day with around a hundred vehicles from different parts using the 12-km Ramgiri and Gupteswar stretch on the Dakri ghat road. However, with the recurrence of landslides, traffic has reduced drastically with hardly 20 vehicles plying the route on a daily basis.
Commuters often get trapped under loose debris while passing through the ghat posing threat to their lives. “We often witness small and big landslides near the ghat and still have to risk travelling on the road,” said taxi driver Gupteswar Rao.
Executive Engineer, Public works department, Jeypore, Bhaskar Chandra Samantaray admitted to the frequent incidents of landslides on the ghat road. “Road development works are underway and the problem of landslides will soon be over after the construction of a concrete wall on both sides of the ghat,” assured Samantaray.