Bhadrak: Relentless floods continue to disrupt life in the Chandbali area of Bhadrak district after a significant portion of National Highway-20 was washed away.
Triggered by heavy rainfall and the swelling Baitarani river, nearly one kilometre of the highway has been damaged, leaving commuters stranded and several villages isolated, sources said.
The road serves as a crucial link between Aradi in Bhadrak and Kuakhia in Jajpur, providing connectivity towards Kataka and Bhubaneswar. Near Bodak village under Olaga panchayat, around 300 feet of concrete road has been swept away, creating deep craters and rendering the stretch completely impassable.
Local residents described the situation as extremely hazardous, noting that it has become difficult to tell the difference between the road, land and water channels, making even walking risky.
As per reports, vehicular traffic on NH-20 has remained suspended for the past 20 days. People travelling from Jajpur to Aradi, particularly devotees visiting the Baba Akhandalamani temple, have been facing severe hardship. Villagers of Bodak are also grappling with the loss of connectivity and have urged the authorities to carry out immediate repairs and restore the highway.
