Bureaucrats feel only lawmakers can change the fate of traffic movement with protesters readying for rallies in the R-Block area later this month.

The Patna district administration - already under pressure after the Chiraiyatand bridge closure - moved a proposal more than a month ago to shift the protest venue from R-Block to Gardanibagh stadium so that Fraser Road, Station Road and Hardinge Road could be kept free from the people.

Once the R-Block gate is closed, the traffic pressure on Income-Tax roundabout and Bailey Road increases because vehicles have to take this route to reach the western side of the city. Similarly, the vehicles have to use Bailey Road to reach eastern and southern sides of the city.

The closure of the gate increases pressure on Fraser Road, Station Road, Dakbungalow roundabout, Income-Tax roundabout, Bailey Road and immense traffic pressure on Beer Chand Patel Marg.

However, the traffic snarl problem hardly seems to have any solution in the near future. A senior bureaucrat who dealt with the Patna district administration proposal regarding shifting of protest venue said: 'We are helpless in addressing the problem. It is not so simple the way people talk. We have received the proposal from Patna district magistrate and Patna divisional commissioner to take a call on this. But we are unable to take any decision as more than administrative issues, it is political will and only political heads can take the final call.'

From December 19 to 26, the winter session of the Assembly would take place. Whenever the Assembly session goes on, several NGOs, social activists, independent organisations and unions stage dharna and protests at the R-Block gate.

Before R-Block, Hartali Mor on Bailey Road was permanent place for the protesters provided by the district administration. Later, due to traffic disruptions, the district administration had to shift the place to R-Block in 2004.

CONGESTION IN THE HEART

Protesters usually gather at Gandhi Maidan before proceeding to R-Block to vent their anger against the government. The Telegraph charts out the route the protesters take amid morning rush hour traffic blocking arterial roads and key roundabouts in the heart of the city

 

Even The Telegraph had reported that a gate located under the Mithapur flyover and lies at a distance of 100m away from the main R-Block gate, can be closed with rallies and protesters being stopped there rather than coming to the main gate. Work on this could not be chalked out though. More than a month ago, district magistrate Abhay Kumar Singh sent the proposal to the state government to shift the dharna place from R-Block gate to Gardanibagh stadium.

'We are quite aware of the problems being faced by the people daily but we are not sitting on the file intentionally. We can only send suggestions to the government, as there are lot of pros and cons in this issue. As things stands now, there is no relief in the near future from the traffic snarl. There has to be consensus from all political parties, otherwise our hands are tied,' said another bureaucrat on the condition of anonymity.

Nitin Kumar, a commuter and resident of Kankerbagh, said: 'Travelling in the city has become a headache these days as every alternate day, the R-Block gate remains closed creating lot of problems. Why does not the government solve the problem forever?'

If the gate is not closed then the Mithapur flyover is a shortcut way for the commuters and they can directly take this flyover without touching busy Income-Tax roundabout and Dakbungalow Chowk.

Ruling party leader and JDU MLC Neeraj Kumar said: 'We are always in favour of providing smooth traffic for people and it is up to the government to identify a separate zone for the dharna and protest, which is a democratic right of the people, too.'