Kendujhar: Landslides triggered by heavy rain from a low-pressure system disrupted traffic on National Highway 49 in Kendujhar district, with debris blocking sections of the road at Kanjipani Ghat under Kanjipani police station and Judia Ghat under Sadar police station Friday night.
Mud and rocks fell onto the highway, bringing traffic to a halt. Vehicles were being allowed to move along one side of the four-lane highway under hazardous conditions.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has deployed machinery to remove mud and rocks from the road.
At Kanjipani Ghat, a landslide occurred August 14, blocking one side of the road for about 15 hours.
After the debris was cleared, traffic on both sides resumed at around 8pm Saturday.
Officials said several locations along the ghat remain vulnerable to landslides if the rain continues.
At Judia Ghat on NH-49, mud and large rocks fell at seven locations because of the persistent rain, blocking traffic on one side.
Fresh rocks continued to fall from the hillside even after debris was removed.
Traffic on one side remained disrupted for more than 30 hours.
Normal movement is expected to resume by Sunday night. With rain forecast for the next two days and authorities issuing a red alert, Kendujhar district is expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next two days.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation. Water flowing down the hills has caused mud, rocks and uprooted trees to fall on the road, raising safety concerns.
Traffic congestion and road jams have also developed as vehicles are being diverted through a single lane.
Three Proclain excavators, six Hyva trucks, three JCB machines and a Hydra crane have been deployed for the road-clearing operation.
National Highway Project Director Kartik Reddy is at the site monitoring the situation.