The tragic road accident at Kalinga Ghat on Ganjam-Kandhamal border that snubbed six passengers and around 42 others injured proved to be a wake-up call for the State government.
The government on Wednesday took a decision to restrict vehicles of other states from using the Kalinga Ghat road as the drivers are not accustomed to the hairpin bends of the road.
“The drivers from other states don’t have experience of negotiating the steep curves of the ghat road,” said Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera.
“The drivers coming to Bhanjanagar from other states would be guided to take Madhapur-Dasapalla-Lalsingha route to reach Bhanjanagar instead of taking the Kalinga Ghat road,” the Minister said.
The local police will ensure it that no outside vehicles should take the ghat road, he said.
Notably, a bus carrying 77 tourists including 40 men, 30 women and some children of Udaynarayanpur area in Howrah of West Bengal was returning from Phulbani to Visakhapatnam when the horrific mishap occurred at Kalinga Ghat. In the accident, six passengers were killed and 42 others got injured critically.
The injured passengers were rushed to Bhanjanagar hospital and later as many as 14 of them were shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur as their condition deteriorated.