Bhubaneswar, Oct 9: As Durga Puja celebrations kick off, residents of Bhubaneswar are bracing for significant traffic congestion, a common issue during the festive season. Commuters are already facing jams on major routes, including Cuttack-Puri Road, Kalpana, and Rasulgarh, with the situation expected to worsen as crowds flock to popular pandals.
When asked a local resident Srinivas Mishra shared that a trip from Acharya Vihar to AG Square took over 30 minutes on Wednesday evening, a journey that typically takes just 15 minutes. He expressed frustration over the apparent lack of effective traffic management.
The Jaydev Vihar-Patia road is also heavily congested, with vehicles moving slowly due to inter-city buses stopping abruptly on critical flyovers, contributing to the traffic chaos and increasing risks for commuters.
"I drove from Puri to Rasulgarh Square via Cuttack-Puri Road, but I got stuck in a traffic jam in the Bomikhal area for over two hours between 6 pm and 8 pm," said a resident.
In response, Bhubaneswar police has deployed traffic personnel on motorcycles to manage congestion, particularly from 5 pm to 10 pm, with plans to extend these hours during the festival. They will monitor busy intersections and respond quickly to any significant traffic jams detected via CCTV.
Additionally, the Commissionerate Police has restricted heavy vehicle movement from 4 pm to 2 am between Sasthi and Dasami to help alleviate traffic issues, implementing diversions for vehicles coming from Khordha and Cuttack.
