Bhubaneswar, April 04: The Commissionerate Police on Friday issued a traffic advisory for the upcoming Ashokastami Car Festival of Shree Lingaraj in Bhubaneswar. The Rukuna Rath Yatra will be celebrated on 5 and 6 April while the return of the Rath will be observed on 9 and 10 April, 2025.

To enhance convenience and prioritize public safety during the festival, the Commissionerate Police has issued the following guidelines in its notice.

• Vehicles will be prohibited from entering Rath Road starting from Mausimaa Chowk. They will be diverted either to Museum Chowk or to Vivekananda Marg.
• Additionally, no vehicles will be allowed on Rath Road from several lanes, including Barik Sahi Lane, Maharana Sahi Lane, Gosagareswar Chhak, Sital Sasthi Lane, Tinimundia Chhak, Harchandi Lane, Muna Medical Lane, and Punama Gate Lane.
• Vehicles coming from Rath Khala will be redirected towards Bata Mahadev Temple.

The Commissionerate Police emphasized that these measures are being implemented to prioritize public safety. Violations of the traffic regulations will be treated as an offense under Section 96 of the Odisha Urban Police Act, 2003. Offenders may face fines ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000, with the possibility of the offense being compoundable, allowing for settlement by an officer.