Cuttack, Jan. 3: Traffic management is poor at the city’s College Square junction.

The lack of measures to regulate traffic at multiple junctions have also attributed to the chaos at this square. The road acts as a connecting link among prominent destinations in the city.

“There is great rush of traffic on the stretch from Bajrakabati to College Square via Ranihat and it often leads to congestion in the area during peak hours,” said Sanjiv Prusty, a commuter.

Prusty said the vehicular traffic at Ranihat had been streamlined to some extent with deployment of constables. But, the traffic officials were yet to deploy constables at various junctions near College Square.

Besides, a lot of openings on the road from the Ranihat canal side up to railway station via College Square are also responsible for the congestion.

“The area in front of Ravenshaw University is particularly chaotic because it is the converging point for the traffic from Ranihat, Jobra, Malgodown and the OMP side via Cuttack railway station,” said Akash Mohanty, another commuter.

Mohanty said many university students had to drive on the wrong side of the road because the main gate often remained closed.The situation is likely to worsen as commuters from various parts of the city will have to depend on College Square road to go towards Sikharpur and OMP sides after the demolition of Taladanda canal bridge is taken up.

Local residents allege that the junction near College Square petrol pump located on way to Cuttack railway station has also become an accident-prone intersection.

Though traffic officials had installed speed breakers at three points at the crossing, most of the humps have now been damaged and this is leading to frequent accidents.

On the other hand, a police official said steps were being taken to regulate vehicular traffic at the square.

“We have deployed extra traffic constables at the Ranihat signal. Reflectors have also been installed in the area for ensuring better visibility for the drivers at night,” said assistant commissioner of police (traffic) Pramod Rath.

Rath said steps would shortly be taken to re-install speed breakers while home guards would also be deployed during peak hours to man the crossing.