Ravi Talkies Square on the Cuttack-Puri State Highway

Time: 10.20pm
Importance of locality: It has a number of monuments and is also the link to Lingaraj Temple 
No. of cops in action: One traffic personnel, sometimes a homeguard assists him
Peak hours: 8am to 11am and 3pm to 10pm

Citizenspeak 
After the lone cop leaves post around 8pm, violation becomes the norm at the junction. After 9pm, the junction gets heavily congested and it becomes difficult to reach our destinationsJagannath Patra, Old Town resident 

Kalpana Square on the Cuttack-Puri State Highway

Time: 10.10pm
Importance of locality: This centrally located junction is a link to those travelling to the airport, railway station, Unit II and Unit II markets from the Old Town side. 
No. of cops in action: Two traffic personnel, sometimes a homeguard assists them.
Peak hours: 7am to 12pm and 2pm to 9pm

Citizenspeak
Encroachment by street vendors near the junction contributes to traffic congestion. The situation gets worse after 8pm, when there are no cops. Minor accident is a regular affair here
Mithali Sharma, Goutam Nagar resident

Acharya Vihar Square on the National Highway 5

Time: 10.05pm
Importance of locality: The junction vicinity is densely populated area and has 
institutions such as the Planetarium and Regional Museum of Natural History to one side, This junction witnesses heavy vehicular and pedestrian movement throughout the day.
No. of cops in action: Two traffic personnel
Peak hours: 8am to 12pm and 4pm to 10pm

Citizenspeak
Deployment of traffic personnel is never regular here. They are irregular in duty and this allows vehicles to move at freewill and violate traffic norms. The situation gets worse when night coaches resume service at 7pm
Sampad Mohanty, resident of Acharya Vihar

Vani Vihar Square on the National Highway 5

Time: 10:30 pm
Importance of locality: Two academic institutions — Utkal University and Rama Devi Women’s University — are located 
on either side of the junction. The junction has in its vicinity a number of commercial establishments on Janpath side.
No. of cops guarding junction: Three traffic personnel and one homeguard.
Peak hours: 10am to 1pm and 5pm to 11pm

Citizenspeak
It is one of the most risky junctions, mainly after 7pm, due to fast movement of night coaches. Drink driving is also a major threat at night. After police leave the post at 9pm, the junction become very risky
Priyanka Panda, Rama Devi Women’s University student

WHAT THE AUTHORITIES SAY

Considering the volume of traffic, the duty of cops end at 9pm. We will ensure that personnel do not leave their posts before 9 pm. When it comes to rash driving, police control room vehicles will take care —Police officer

Text by Sandeep Mishra, pictures by Ashwinee Pati