Keonjhar/Joda: Vehicles engaged in mineral transport have added to snarl-ups in various parts of Joda and Keonjhar. School kids are the worst hit due to traffic jams, which have been routine on Dhrupada-Purnunabazar Road on NH-20, Anandapur-Karanjia Road, Judia Ghati on NH-49, and other roads. Parking of vehicles along the roads also causes accidents most of the time.
Locals complain that school buses get stuck on the road for hours due to traffic jam, almost daily, and reach schools late, sometimes at 11 am or 12 noon in Joda area.
Minerals are transported to Essar Steel plant day and night. As a result, school kids of Handibhanga, Jamupani, Naya Hutting and other nearby villages face problems in commuting to schools. Regular transport of minerals has taken a heavy toll on the Kalimati-Dubuna Road, which is in replete with potholes and craters. Locals and guardians lamented that due to traffic jams, their kids have to walk to school.
Though they had apprised the administration and the company management of the bad shape of the road and routine traffic jam, no step has been taken to repair the road and solve the problem.
Locals warned of an agitation if nothing is done to sort out these problems.
PNN