Bhubaneswar, July 28: For residents of VSS Nagar, Mancheswar, Idco Colony, Chakeisiani and the adjoining areas, entry to the main city has become a challenge with monsoon at its peak.

Their problems have been compounded with the rear gate of Utkal University being closed to outsiders following student unrest on the campus.

Besides, the passage under the national highway through which vehicles are diverted from Rasulgarh Square, where a flyover is under construction, remains waterlogged. Communication facilities have also been disrupted because of the sewer lines being laid in the area.

Commuters are being forced to make long detours to enter the main city, and these roads, too, remain full of craters with heaps of construction materials dumped on them.

"First, the construction of a railway overbridge has been going on for the past two years, and it has damaged the service road nearby. On both sides of the two level crossings in the area, it becomes difficult for one to drive due to the potholes and waterlogging. Besides, the sewer pipe laying work at VSS Nagar and Mancheswar also adds to our problem," said Chakeisiani resident Madhusudan Senapati.

The diversion of vehicles on the national highway has forced the residents of Mancheswar, Chakeisiani and Semeiguda to go to Palasuni Square and take a turn from there to reach the city.

To VSS Nagar residents, the university campus also used to provide access to the main city as the commuters could easily reach Vani Vihar, and from there, to areas such as Saheed Nagar. But now, people are unable to access the route with the university banning outsiders' entry.

"There is no proper road. Besides, many stretches have been damaged due to construction and waterlogging. Plying of heavy vehicles on these roads make things even worse. And now, such restrictions add to our misery," said Dillip Das Sharma, general secretary of the VSS Nagar Residents' Welfare Association.

Besides, the commuters complained that the underpass near the telecom training institute was built to provide a better passage for them to reach the city, but it always remains waterlogged, forcing people to take the wrong route from Satsang Vihar Square to Vani Vihar Square.

"We are having discussion with various agencies on these issues, and they have assured us of getting the work done as soon as possible," said assistant commissioner of police (traffic) Jatindra Panda.

In another development, an official of the National Highways Authorities of India said they were going to make a pit and channel the water from the passage under the overbridge.

Railway authorities, however, said their portion of the overbridge had been finished and blamed the state government agencies for delaying the work.

A public works department official said they were working hard to finish the work shortly.