Patna, Sept. 18: The authorities today advanced the closure time of Mahatma Gandhi Setu across the Ganga for repair work from September 18 by an hour for better traffic management, while police chalked out elaborate plans to avoid congestion after the movement of vehicles resumed.

According to the changed schedule, the vehicular movement on the bridge would remain suspended from 10pm to 3am instead of 11pm to 4am on September 18, 19, 22, 23, 27 and 28. The bridge is being closed for maintenance for the first time.

In a bid to avoid traffic chaos after the resumption of vehicular on the bridge after five hours of closure, the Patna police claimed to have made elaborate arrangements.

“The police stations on the border of the district have been alerted. As many as eight police stations, including Bihta, Paliganj, Masauri, Daniawa, Bakhtiarpur, Hatidah, Panchmahalla Outpost and Marauchi, have been given a sector officer and six constables each for the traffic management. These police stations would start stopping heavy vehicles entering the district from 8pm, two hours before the scheduled closure time of the bridge,” superintendent of police (traffic) Shivdeep Lande.

Police stations like Fatuha, Didarganj, Bypass, Agamkuan, Gaurichak, Dhanarua, Masauri, Alamganj, Patrakar Nagar, Kankerbagh, Ramkrishna Nagar, Beur, Gardanibagh, Phulwari, Khagaul, Danapur, Rupaspur, Airport, Naubatpur, Janipur and Shahpur have also been asked to be on alert.

The police would ensure the heavy vehicles maintained a queue while standing because of the bridge closure. They would also not allow overtaking after the bridge is opened for the traffic.

Lande said: “Light motor vehicles like cars, two-wheelers and autorickshaws would be allowed to pass through the bridge during the course of the maintenance work. Ambulances would also be allowed to ply.” The Jakkanpur police station, which has the Mithapur bus station under its jurisdiction, has been asked to inform the bus operators about the bridge closure time. The buses would not be allowed to use the bridge from 8pm to 3am on the six days the bridge would be closed for maintenance.