Cuttack: Police on Thursday reopened the cut-point on NH-5 at Sikharpur merely a week after closing it.

Local people had opposed the closure of the cut-point.The crossing is the converging point of city's traffic from Mahanadi Vihar, Nayabazaar and Chauliaganj on the eastern side of the highway and Gandarpur, Sikharpur and Jobra on the western side. "We opposed the closure move as around 20,000 people on both sides of the highway were affected by the decision. They were being forced to travel at least one or two kilometres to cross the road following the closure," said Sikharpur-Gandarpur Puja Committee secretary Jayanta Kumar Pradhan.

"We hope the authorities will keep the cut-point open till an underpass or a flyover is constructed near the junction to facilitate peoples' movement," Pradhan said.

The cut-point was closed on October 25 after the National Highways Authority of India had developed a service road for an underpass at Kaliaboda, about half-a-kilometre away from the Sikharpur crossing.

The closure was decided by the high court-formed traffic management committee, headed by the police commissioner. But, public protest prompted the committee to look further into the issue. The police later realised that the service road developed along with the underpass at Kaliaboda was not a feasible alternative as it was too narrow to accommodate the traffic diverted due to the closure of the Sikharpur cut-point.

"Closure of the Sikharpur crossing is very essential to cope with increasing accidents at the junction. But, it is also essential to build an underpass or a flyover in the area before closing it," said assistant commissioner of police (traffic) Krushna Samal.

Bali yatra plastic ban

The Cuttack district administration on Thursday declared a ban on the use of polythene carry bags and plastic packaging at Bali yatra and urged visitors and shopkeepers to use biodegradable packaging materials - paper, recycled net cotton or jute bags.