Auto-rickshaws at a temporary stand on Sakchi-Mango Road on Friday. The stand was constructed in view of the upcoming Games. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, Feb. 11: The East Singhbhum district administration will clamp a 12-and-half hour no-entry tenure for heavy vehicles in the steel city tomorrow and February 26 — opening and closing ceremony dates for the 34th National Games, respectively.

This move is being taken to ensure streamlined free flow of traffic during the mega event. Jamshedpur is slated to host five events of the Games — equestrian, boxing, archery, football (women) and weightlifting.

According to the administration, tomorrow the no-entry clamp for heavy vehicles will remain effective from 6am to 10.30pm, instead of the normal clamp, which operates in three phases.

Normally, the no-entry order for heavy vehicles on city roads remains effective from 6am to 9am, then 12.30pm to 2.30pm and again from 5pm to 10.30pm.

While the decision to clamp no-entry for heavy vehicles for a long stretch has been firmed up on the two both important days of the mega sports event, on other days of the Games, similar orders could be clamped but only if required.

Senior superintendent of police Akhilesh Kumar Jha said initially they had planned to change the no-entry timings for the entire period of the Games, but later decided that timings would only be changed in accordance to need.

“In simple terms, we may change the timings for the entry of heavy vehicles if we find that there is large turnout of spectators for the Games. It depends on the crowd count,” Jha told The Telegraph.

Revealing more about the administration’s attempt to provide a congestion-free traffic movement during the prestigious sports event, the SSP said movement of auto-rickshaws would also be restricted in the main areas of the city from tomorrow.

“The huge number of auto-rickshaws causes frequent bottlenecks on the road and in squares. We can’t afford that sort of a situation during the Games where we want the city to look its best. So we have decided to keep the three-wheelers off the main thoroughfares like Sakchi roundabout and Gopal Maidan area,” said Jha. He said even auto-rickshaws from the Mango and Azadnagar areas would not be allowed beyond Aam Bagan in Sakchi.

Auto-rickshaws from Kadma would stop much ahead of the Sakchi roundabout and those from Bistupur and Sonari would also face curbs. These restrictions would be effective till February 26, said Jha.