Patna, Dec. 29: The traffic police helpline (0612-2219543) came into existence last Saturday but it hardly had been of any help to commuters keen to use bylanes during traffic slowdown.

The poser that seemed to have plagued the helpline is the information about the alternative routes in case of heavy rush on major roads. When The Telegraph dialled the number today, the helpline faltered to give concrete information about the link roads:

The Telegraph: I am stranded near the AN College area and need to reach Dakbungalow roundabout. Can you suggest me a way or an alternative route for the same?

Helpline: You can come to the Boring Road roundabout. From there you can head towards the Income Tax roundabout and then head straight to the Dakbungalow roundabout.

The Telegraph: But that is the main road, which is clogged all the time. I am asking about any bylane I can take for the same.

Helpline: At present, we don’t have much update on the bylanes. The system is being developed. But there is no traffic right now for sure on the route we suggested.

The Telegraph: But I am stranded in the traffic. How often do you get updates?

Helpline: Every hour. The process of round-the-clock updates is being developed.

The officials at the call centre emphasised that traffic personnel were on their toes to keep the city updated with the rush on main roads. They also claimed that they were being flooded with calls.

“Everyday we receive at least 30 to 40 phone calls from people enquiring about traffic updates. Sector in-charge of traffic police departments are posted at different locations of the city who give us hourly traffic updates,” a representative at the traffic helpline service said.

Senior superintendent of police Alok Kumar on Saturday had appealed to the commuters to avoid the main roads and take the bylanes and service roads. Commuters were of the view that the helpline has information about only a few major roads though.

“The helpline gives half-baked information only about main roads like the Bailey Road, the Dakbungalow Road and the Station Road. It’s good that the police have given a thought to the use of bylanes. But most of the people are not aware of the many bylanes and the traffic situation there. They have no other choice but to use the same traffic-clogged roads. I take the Boring Road and reach the Income Tax roundabout. Then, I head towards the Dakbungalow Chowk for Frazer Road. I am sure there are other lanes, which I can take to reach the same spot without the hassle. I want to know about those link roads but the helpline is clueless,” said Suresh Kumar Singh, a banker.

Randhir Kumar, a businessman, said: “I sought the call centre’s help for a way out from Hartali Mor because it was clogged. I didn’t get a satisfying answer. They should have information about the alternative routes, which commuters can take to avoid a traffic jam.”

Sources said at present the helpline officials were concentrating more on the main roads of the capital rather than on the bylanes.

“A system is being developed and the updates would be more concrete and to the point very soon,” a traffic police officer said.