Berhampur: Traffic came to a standstill for several hours on NH-326A between Berhampur and Paralakhemundi on Wednesday as residents of R Udayagiri in Gajapati district staged a protest against acute water shortage.Demonstrators placed empty buckets, pots and benches across the highway, forcing vehicles to halt on both sides.The protesters demanded 24-hour water supply for R Udayagiri, which currently receives limited service from the rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS) department.”The current supply is so brief that we can’t even fill a single bucket. Many residents at the tail end of the pipeline are forced to fetch water from ponds,” said a protester.The blockade was lifted after block development officer (BDO) Lariman Kharsel and local police assured immediate action, including water supply through tankers to affected areas.A senior official said that unauthorised use of motor pumps by some villagers has contributed to the water shortage in tail-end areas.Kharsel explained that water lifting has been reduced to 50% due to extreme heat. “Despite challenges, we’re maintaining water supply twice daily. We’re working with RWSS junior engineers to address the shortage,” he said, adding that a new 1 lakh litre capacity overhead tank has been constructed to improve water distribution.