Cuttack, Dec. 23: Vehicular traffic on Ring Road connecting Cuttack and Jagatpur with Choudwar today came to a halt due to a roadblock near the Jobra Barrage Chhack.

Local residents of Jobra staged the roadblock to protest against lack of measures by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation to improve basic civic amenities in the area. They want improved roads, apart from an upgraded drainage system and water supply in the locality.

The SCB-bound patients coming from the Jagatpur and Choudwar areas were the worst affected due to the roadblock. 'The traffic had come to a grinding halt on the Jobra barrage stretch of Ring Road for over an hour. We had come for a routine medical check-up of my father at the cardiology department of the hospital but got stuck,' said Dilip Buiyan from Jagatpur.

Police, however, said steps were taken to ensure that ambulances and patients coming to the hospital did not have to face problems due to the agitation. 'We had diverted the vehicles from Choudwar and Jagatpur via the main road up to Sikharpur. From there, they were allowed to move towards the hospital via Jobra Barrage Chhak,' said R. Satpathy, inspector in charge of Malgodown police station.

The area has a population of over 20,000. 'Due to the lack of basic civic amenities, residents here face problems such as waterlogging during rains. The problem gets manifold due to the absence of proper sewerage,' said Jobra Durga Temple Trust general secretary Sangram Keshari Routray.

Routray said three organisations - the Durga Temple administration, youth association and a women organisation - supported the agitation.

The residents alleged that the civic body had taken no steps to improve the drainage system. Since the wastewater of several areas passes through Jobra, it is important to keep its drainage system clear. 'We demand a separate sluice gate system to prevent waterlogging in our area,' said local resident Nursingha Mangal.

The agitators called off the movement after Choudwar-Cuttack MLA Pravat Biswal had assured them of urgent measures for resolving their grievances. 'Already Rs 1.76 crore has been sanctioned to improve the drainage system. Besides, Rs 42 lakh has been spent to upgrade the water supply system and additional Rs 12 lakh will be utilised to set up a pump house ,' said Biswal.