Udayagiri/Bhanjanagar: A Berhampur-bound passenger bus overturned on the Kalinga Ghat road in the Ganjam–Kandhamal border area early Friday, leaving one woman dead and 10 others injured, police said. The deceased was identified as Suryakanti Nayak of Aska in Ganjam district. The injured were taken to hospitals in Bhanjanagar and G. Udayagiri for treatment. Vehicular movement through the Kalinga Ghat route had remained suspended for nearly two months due to landslides.
After repairs, authorities reopened the stretch November 2, allowing only two and four-wheelers to ply. Passenger buses and heavy trucks were still barred. Despite the restriction, the private bus named Sriram (OD 05 F 0629) was travelling from Bargarh to Berhampur and met with the accident around dawn, officials said. Fire services personnel from Bhanjanagar and G. Udayagiri rushed to the spot and rescued the injured passengers.
According to the injured conductor, there were 14 passengers on board. The driver realised that the brakes had failed about 6 km into the ghat road. After several unsuccessful attempts to control the vehicle, he swerved it to the right to avoid a deep gorge, causing the bus to overturn on a flat patch of road. Local police led by G. Udayagiri IIC Bijay Kumar Swain reached the scene and sent the injured to hospitals.
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