Villagers perform puja in Odisha’s Ganjam for safety of commuters

Berhampur: A day after the Taptapani ghati bus mishap in Ganjam district which killed eight persons and injured more than 30 others, residents of Haladiapadar village performed Saraswati Puja in a unique way today. They worshipped Goddess Duga’s photo, chanted slokas and prayed for the safety of commuters crossing Haladiapadar Overbridge Chhak.

With an aim to draw the Ganjam district administration’s attention towards the issues, villagers offered prayers to Goddess Durga on roadside of the National Highway-5. Worth mentioning, the Haladiapadar Overbridge chhak connecting Berhampur town to the NH-5 is an accident prone area.

A local alleged due to some error in the overbridge’s design, accidents are occurring almost every day near Haladiapadar Overbridge chhak. Moreover, someone has to travel more than four kilometers to go to the others side of the NH. Though the villagers sought the administration’s intervention in the past, nothing concrete has been done so far, the local added.

Also, the villagers threatened to intensify their agitation if the district administration does not address the issue.