Odisha: NAC staff ‘attack’ over parking fee; drivers block ring road opposing ‘high-handedness’

Konark: Hundreds of incensed drivers today blocked the Konark-Puri ring road, opposing alleged high-handedness following an attack on one of them by NAC staff over parking fees in this town.

Vehicular movement was completely stalled for several hours alongside the blocked road.

According to a source, the civic body staff often indulge in arguments with drivers. Things took an ugly turn when a staffer engaged in the collection of parking fees attacked a driver earlier in the day.

There was a huge rush due to the Christmas holidays. Tourists and visitors from and outside the town had thronged in large numbers. Several drivers faced parking problems because of the traffic snarls.

In the absence of specific space for parking vehicles, NAC has been collecting fees. Police have not made any adequate parking arrangements keeping in mind the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“No specific place was designated for vehicle parking,” some of the agitating drivers alleged.

The driver of a tourist vehicle was attacked by NAC staff leading to an untoward situation, they said.

Tension flared up following the alleged attack and several vehicles were stranded on a patch of the road stretching from Chandrabhaga up to Sun Temple in Konark. However, the protest was withdrawn after senior officials of Konark police station reached the spot and convinced the irate drivers.