Two people sustained critical injuries after the car they were travelling in crashed into an electric pole in Khallikote, Ganjam, in the wee hours of Monday.
The mishap occurred while the car from Ichhapur en route to Khallikote collided with the roadside electric pole.
The crash caused the electric pole to bend and fall, disrupting the city’s power supply during peak early morning hours.
The injured occupants have been identified as Kanhu Charan Mohanty of Arakhpur village under Purushottampur police limits, and the driver Jayaram Swain from Khojapalli village under Khallikote police limits. Both sustained critical injuries and were promptly rescued by Khallikote police and admitted to the local community health centre for emergency treatment. Jayaram Swain was later referred to MKCG Medical College and Hospital due to his deteriorating condition.
This unforeseen power outage left the town’s residents struggling to cope with the unbearable summer heat. The accident also rekindled public concern over the long-standing infrastructure issues along State Highway-30. Despite repeated complaints, electric poles continue to obstruct narrow lanes and rear roads, many of which have not been cleared for years—even as road widening projects progress, footpaths remain incomplete.
Thousands of vehicles commute daily on this road that houses schools, colleges, courts, and vital administrative offices such as the block, tehsil, and sub-registrar offices. Local citizens and stakeholders are now demanding immediate attention from the state government for urgent expansion and infrastructural improvements of the stretch.
