Udupi: A private express bus lost control and came to a halt on the divider of National Highway 66 near Katapady on Monday morning, causing major disruption to traffic and leaving motorists stuck in congestion for several hours.
The bus reportedly got stranded on the highway divider, obstructing the smooth movement of vehicles along the busy stretch. The incident occurred at a time when traffic was already heavy due to the Nagara Panchami festival, adding to the difficulties faced by commuters.
Bus stranded on highway divider
The incident occurred during the morning hours when the movement of vehicles on NH 66 was relatively high.
After the private express bus lost control, it came to rest on the central divider. Its position created an obstruction on the highway and affected the movement of vehicles in the area.
As vehicles began slowing down near the spot, congestion quickly built up along the highway. The disruption was particularly significant because NH 66 is one of the main routes connecting several important towns and coastal areas of the district.
Motorists travelling through Katapady were forced to move slowly through the affected stretch, while vehicles accumulated on the highway.
Nagara Panchami adds to traffic pressure
The traffic disruption occurred on the day of Nagara Panchami, when large numbers of devotees were travelling to Nagabanas, Nagadevatha temples and Moolasthanas across the district.
Several roads and highways in the region witnessed increased movement as families and devotees travelled to shrines to participate in special pujas and offer prayers.
The additional traffic meant that the bus incident had a wider impact than it might have on an ordinary weekday.
People travelling to Nagabanas and Moolasthanas reportedly faced delays because of the congestion around Katapady.
The combination of festival-related traffic and the stranded bus resulted in considerable inconvenience for motorists and devotees.
Traffic movement disrupted for hours
The obstruction caused significant disruption to vehicular movement on the highway.
Vehicles approaching the affected stretch had to negotiate the congested section carefully, leading to long queues. Commuters reportedly spent considerable time waiting for traffic to move.
The situation also affected people travelling towards nearby towns and destinations along NH 66.
With a large number of vehicles using the highway for festival-related travel, the traffic volume remained high during the period of disruption.
Police intervene to ease congestion
Police personnel reached the area and took steps to regulate traffic and facilitate the movement of vehicles.
Efforts were made to manage the flow of traffic around the stranded bus and reduce the congestion that had built up on the highway.
Traffic management became particularly important given the large number of devotees travelling through the area for Nagara Panchami celebrations.
Police intervention helped ensure that vehicles could gradually move through the affected stretch while arrangements were made to address the obstruction caused by the bus.
Devotees face inconvenience
The incident caused inconvenience to members of the public, particularly devotees travelling to Nagabanas and Moolasthanas on the occasion of Nagara Panchami.
The festival traditionally draws large crowds to Naga shrines across coastal Karnataka, resulting in increased traffic on roads leading to religious centres.
Many devotees had planned their journeys around the morning rituals and special pujas. The traffic congestion near Katapady therefore created additional delays for those travelling to participate in the celebrations.
The incident also highlighted the challenges of managing traffic on NH 66 during major festivals when vehicle movement increases substantially.
Need for effective traffic management
The disruption near Katapady has once again highlighted the importance of quick response mechanisms on NH 66, particularly during festival periods.
Highway incidents involving large vehicles can rapidly affect traffic movement, especially on stretches carrying heavy volumes of vehicles.
Quick removal of stranded vehicles and effective diversion and traffic-control measures can help reduce the duration and extent of congestion.
With Nagara Panchami drawing large numbers of people to religious places across the district, traffic management remained a key concern on Monday.
The bus incident near Katapady eventually prompted police intervention to facilitate vehicular movement. However, the prolonged congestion caused considerable inconvenience to commuters and devotees travelling through the area.