Odisha authorities have ordered transport officials to close unsafe roads, submerged bridges and overflowing stretches as Cyclone Arnab brings the threat of heavy rain, strong winds, waterlogging and landslides across the state. The restrictions are intended to prevent vehicles from entering hazardous routes and to keep emergency transport operations functioning.
The directive was issued by Odisha transport commissioner Amitabh Thakur to regional transport officers, additional RTOs and enforcement officials. It followed preparedness instructions from the state’s special relief commissioner and calls for immediate coordination with district collectors, police and road agencies.
Officials have been asked to identify flooded low-lying roads, submerged bridges and landslide-prone stretches, and to ensure effective barricading and restrictions on vehicular movement at those locations. “No vehicle shall be allowed to cross an overflowing road or submerged bridge,” Thakur said in the letter, according to the Times of India report.
The order warns that heavy rainfall, uprooted trees, road disruptions and waterlogging could create serious risks for drivers, passengers and other road users, particularly at night. The transport department has directed enforcement personnel to remain alert and conduct enhanced patrolling along highways and other vulnerable routes.
Transport operators, bus and truck owners’ associations and terminal managers have been instructed to promptly communicate route diversions and movement restrictions to drivers. Passengers are also to be informed about service disruptions, allowing operators and district authorities to manage movement as roads become inaccessible.
The measures extend beyond traffic control. Cranes, recovery vehicles and other emergency resources are to be positioned at strategic locations to respond to stranded vehicles and road blockages. RTOs have also been asked to maintain lists of buses and goods vehicles that can be deployed for evacuation, relief distribution and the movement of essential supplies.
Round-the-clock control rooms will monitor road conditions, coordinate with district emergency operation centres and provide real-time updates during the cyclone period. The transport department’s instructions place RTOs at the centre of road-level disaster response, linking enforcement, route information, vehicle recovery and the mobilisation of public and commercial transport.
The order does not specify a uniform closure list for the state. Instead, unsafe routes and diversions are to be identified and communicated through coordination between district administrations, police, road agencies and transport officials as conditions change.
