Thursday's traffic trial on Gandhi Setu and on the temporary pontoon bridge was carried out smoothly.

Despite the closure of the Setu's western flank between pillar number 1 and 8, there was hardly any congestion on the bridge and its alternative pontoon bridge.

Patna superintendent of police (traffic) P.K. Das was monitoring the vehicular movement from Gaighat to Hajipur by coordinating with the Vaishali police.

To figure out how the traffic would behave once the Gandhi Setu goes for restructuring in June, Das visited Gaighat from where the pontoon bridge begins. For the first time, vehicles from Patna were allowed to ply towards Hajipur.

From 4.30pm Thursday to 6am Friday, vehicles were allowed to ply from Patna to Hajipur and from 6am Thursday to 4.30pm Thursday, vehicles were allowed to ply from Hajipur to Patna.

Das inspected the traffic movement watching children of National Cadet Corps guiding commuters not to overtake vehicles and to drive in a single queue.

While taking the pontoon bridge from the Patna side, Das stopped several vehicles that were coming from Hajipur, which was not permitted. The vehicles managed to come from the Terasia village because it falls between the pontoon bridge and Hajipur.

When Das reached Terasia, he shouted at the traffic policemen on duty for allowing the vehicles from the Hajipur side pass, as it was past 4.30pm.

On Wednesday, Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal and his Vaishali counterpart Rachana Patil decided on the trial run. It was to be assessed how the traffic would behave once the Setu is demolished.

The big plan entails demolition of the super structure of the western flank and change it with a steel structure in the first phase. This would be repeated for the eastern flank.

The Bihar government had a condition that the western flank of the Setu would be demolished once a proper traffic arrangement is made for commuters.

When The Telegraph reached the Hajipur side there was a long queue of trucks and smaller vehicles. The Vaishali police were found streamlining the movement of the vehicles. Das tried to stop a 10-wheeler truck, which was overtaking another truck on the eastern flank near pillar number 1.

The truck did not pay heed and went ahead. The traffic police immediately followed the truck and stopped the vehicle. The driver was taken to task but let off after a warning.

As many as 100 additional constables and 20 police officers were deployed at the bridge. The western flank was shut and a barricading was done over the bridge. Das stood there for some time to check the movement of the vehicles.

On the Gandhi Setu, while coming from the Patna side, vehicles were diverted from the western to the eastern flank from pillar number 8.

The stretch of roughly 887.69m of the 5.775km bridge was closed. The restructuring of the bridge will start from this stretch because the executing agency will demolish the structure from pillar number 1 to 8.

From pillar number 38 to 46 on the eastern flank only two wheelers were allowed. The condition of the bridge from pillar number 38 to 46 is dire. At several places the bridge shows signs of tear.

At the end of the inspection, Das told The Telegraph: "The trial will end on Friday 2pm, but after the inspection I can say so far it was smooth. There was no traffic pressure at any point except a few congestions because of overtaking. I will submit the report on Saturday to the Patna district magistrate."

Binod Prasad, a resident of Rajendra Nagar who had taken the pontoon bridge, said: "For the first time I am going to Hajipur from Patna on the pontoon bridge. The traffic management is appreciated."

Text by Amit Bhelari, pictures by Sachin