Rayagada: Traffic on a portion of National Highway-326 came to a standstill after a truck developed a mechanical fault and got stranded at a sharp bend in the Gumma Ghat section under Rayagada block in Odisha early on Sunday.

The stranded truck blocked the highway, leading to a massive traffic jam on both sides of the road. Several buses and heavy vehicles were left stranded, causing significant inconvenience to passengers.

The disruption has affected vehicular movement between Rayagada, Koraput and Kashipur, with commuters forced to wait for hours as authorities worked to clear the road.

Locals alleged that similar traffic disruptions occur repeatedly at the same spot in the Gumma Ghat stretch. They claimed that despite frequent incidents, the National Highways authorities have failed to take concrete measures to address the problem.

Police personnel from Rayagada and officials from the Kumbhikota outpost reached the spot soon after the incident and are making efforts to remove the stranded truck and restore normal traffic on the highway.