"Since more than half of the road width has been consumed by the tidal waves and the road may be washed out completely, it had become dangerous to ply vehicles on the road," District Magistrate Rashmiranjan Pattnaik told media persons.

"We have closed the road and police personnel have been deployed to prohibit entry of vehicles to the danger zone," Pattnaik said.

About one-and-a-half km of the newly built marine drive road was being worn out every day by huge tidal sea waves particularly during the full moon and no moon days reducing the width of the road.

Although the authorities were busy piling sand bags, fixing casuarina stumps and Kewda bushes along the roadsides to prevent damage, the sea was often shifting its attack from one place to another.

The hotel and apartment owners alongside the marine drive road are now spending sleepless nights during the high tide periods.

They have demanded that the government should raise a protective wall along the road to ensure safety of the lives and property from the invading sea waves.