Kalpetta: The Wayanad ghat road experienced severe traffic congestion for over 12 hours, starting around 8 am on Saturday, following a breakdown of a truck at the 6th bend of the ghat road.

According to eyewitnesses, it took nearly four hours to move the vehicle to one side and partially resume traffic flow. By the time partial movement was restored, the traffic jam had stretched to Adivaram town on the Kozhikode side, while on the Wayanad side, the queue extended up to the 9th bend.

Being a Saturday, the traffic intensified further in the evening, as tourist vehicles from Kozhikode and commuters from both districts heading home for the weekend became caught in the gridlock.

A passenger reported that continuous rain and dense mist along the ghat road reduced visibility, worsening the situation. Some passengers who had been stuck since morning were able to escape the jam only by late afternoon.

Volunteers from the Churam Samrakshana Samithy advised travellers from Kozhikode and Wayanad to begin their journeys only after 10 pm, by which time they expected congestion to ease. Although vehicular movement in both directions was nearly restored by 9 pm, the heavy flow of traffic is reportedly continuing.