Bhubaneswar: The National Highways Authority of India and the public works department will jointly take action against those obstructing traffic along the NH-5 and posing a safety threat to commuters.

A special enforcement team will be formed consisting of officials from both the state and central agencies to conduct a survey and remove obstacles in a rigorous manner. In the survey, the officials will detect obstacles such as vendors encroachment, illegal parking and irregular piling of debris among others.

The decision was taken in the backdrop of a direction issued by the highway authority, which stated that encroachment, illegal parking of vehicles, contra-flow of traffic, damaged condition of carriageways and so on caused hazards to the commuters' safety.

Authority chairman Deepak Kumar, in a letter to chief secretary A.P. Padhi, has stated that the highway body has given instruction to all the authority's regional officers to start a drive to free the highways from encroachments and obstacles. Kumar has also requested Padhi to direct local police and the administration to extend assistance in the road safety initiatives.

At present, several sections of the highway between Palasuni and Khandagiri fall prey to encroachments and illegal parking of vehicles, mainly the auto-rickshaws. The problems are paramount near Vani Vihar Square, Khandagiri Square and Jayadev Vihar Square.

"Vendors, mainly the tour operators and private bus ticket counters, have encroached on the storm water drainage channel built near Vani Vihar Square. People are flocking at the place, creating congestion on the stretch," said Utkal University student Atul Mohanty.

A works department official said they had instructed all stakeholders, including the housing and urban development and the home departments, to come up with plans to go ahead for clearance of the traffic obstacles.

"We are aware of the problems and have conducted several enforcement drives in the past. Many sections along the highway are now free of encroachment, but few remained in the same position. We have decided to be stricter this time and will free the highway from obstacles," said works department chief engineer (roads) O.P. Patel.