Koraput: Traffic at Jeypore has been badly hit by rash driving and unauthorised vehicle parking.
The town, which is the central point of Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts, has become congested and accident-prone. This is also the case with the NH-26 that passes through the town.
"Traffic in Jeypore is in a complete mess. Youths ride motorcycles in high speed and park them on the road at their own risk in the town during the evening. A considerable part of the major roads are being occupied by illegal parking and the daily commuters are at the receiving end," said president of Jeypore Citizen Committee N. N. Nayak.
"We have appraised the concerned officials about the issue several times but no action has been taken to streamline the traffic in Jeypore," Nayak said.
The worst hit stretches are Welcome Junction to Gandhi Chhaka and from Gandhi Chhaka to Christian Peta area that has been encroached on by garages on either sides of the road. Vehicular movement is also hampered between Dhoba Sahi Chhaka and Palace area.
According to a source, main roads connecting major offices and educational institutions become chock-a-block in the morning and afternoon and traffic problem persists till late in the evening.
Besides, the devastated state of traffic in town is attributed to the carelessness on the part of the drivers and lack of prompt action by the traffic police.
"Police rarely takes any action against violators due to which there is traffic problem in the town," Jeypore resident Bikram Patnaik said.
Admitting to the traffic congestion problem in the town, Jeypore sub-divisional police officer, T. J. Reddy, said: "In collaboration with the civil administration a blueprint as been prepared to streamline traffic at Jeypore. Several spots have been identified at various parts of the town to be used as parking space and motorcycle PCR has been introduced in the town to have a tabs on unruly bikers and against illegal parking."
"We have also appealed the cops to co-operate in streamlining traffic in the town," Reddy said.
