The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sealed the road between Khandagiri and Udaygiri caves in a bid to protect the ancient sites from vibration stress from vehicular movement and pollution. The road will only be open for pedestrian use.
Boom barriers have been put up on the approach road towards the cave from Khandagiri square and the road towards Jaydev Vatika. “The road will be closed permanently for vehicles. This will help us curb CO2 emission from vehicles and vibration stress to some extent,” said ASI Odisha chief Dibishada Brajasundar Garnayak.
The national conservation body had earlier warned that the rock-cut caves have deteriorated to a large extent in the last 10 years due to rising pollution, climate change and vibration from vehicles plying the road.
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation had stopped the movement of heavy vehicles between the caves in a trial mode during the Hockey World Cup but it was opened again. A report on the deteriorating condition of the caves due to pollution, climate change and vibration from vehicles passing through the road was published in TNIE on Tuesday.
