Motorists would no longer be inconvenienced by the frequent traffic owing to the closure of the R-Block gate.

The traffic police are in the last leg of finalising a standard operating procedure to divert vehicular movement through alternative routes. The initiative is aimed to reduce the frustration of daily commuters when the gate remains closed owing to the frequent rallies and processions in the city. For the past few weeks, there have been agitations almost every day, throwing traffic out of gear.

Patna traffic superintendent of police Prantosh Kumar Das said on Tuesday: “Whenever the administration close the R-Block gate to stop protesters from crossing over to the Assembly, it leads to traffic disruption in all major roads. Bailey Road leading to Income Tax roundabout gets clogged and so do areas like Hartali Mor and others. This has a ripple effect on Fraser Road, Dakbungalow roundabout and other places. We have thought of a plan to tackle the problem.”

The officer said they were in the process of selecting 15 alternative routes to be used by motorists when the gates are closed. “The gates are closed almost everyday. Rallies have a definite route as designated by the district administration. They generally start from Gandhi Maidan and move to Patna Junction via Fraser Road and Dakbungalow Roundabout. They take the route below the Mithapur over bridge to reach R-Block. Once the gate is closed, the personnel manning traffic would take up position at the designated points in 10 minutes. They would assist and guide motorists. We had a successful mock drill of the plan,” he added.

“Just before Kotwali Junction, there is a by-lane towards the left on way to Dakbungalow roundabout from the Income Tax roundabout. Taking that road, one can reach Biscomaun Building after passing through Chajjubagh. Motorists can also take the Raja Bazaar route to reach Gandhi Maidan or even SK Nagar.,” another officer said.

Motorists, naturally, are upbeat about the plan. “The traffic goes for a toss whenever the R-Block gate is closed. Earlier, the administration had thought of a way to deal with the situation. There were talks about rallies being stopped near Hardinge Road. It seems the plan has been shelved. The new proposal is good but needs to be implemented properly,” said Shailendra Kumar, a daily motorist.