Picture by Ashwinee Pati
Bhubaneswar, May 24: The decision of the police to divert traffic at Rasulgarh Square to expedite the construction of a flyover has led to utter chaos.
According to the notification, all the vehicles going towards Cuttack are diverted from Rasulgarh Square towards Mancheswar Industrial Estate. From Mancheswar the vehicles would move towards Palasuni Canal Road and take National Highway 5 at Palasuni Square. Police said the diversion would force the motorists to cover an additional distance of 500 meters. However, there is no restriction on vehicles coming from Cuttack side.
The diversion has created chaos for the commuters as they are finding it extremely difficult to travel in the peak hours. "After 8pm when the night buses begin their journey, it becomes almost impossible to travel on the road connecting Vaniviahar Square and Rasulgarh Square. Besides, the diversion has become a nightmare for commuters travelling to Chakeisiani," said Saroj Mohanty, a commuter.
Residents of Rasulgarh are the worst sufferers due to the construction that has been under way for the past four years. "In December last year, the police had imposed diversion to expedite the construction. We cooperated with the police thinking that the project would be completed at the earliest. But there is hardly any significant development," said Dipak Panigrahi, a resident of Rasulrgarh.
Despite police barricading the area for diversion, a number of people could be spotted travelling through the barricades only to shorten the distance and save time. Besides, a number of commuters can be spotted arguing with the traffic cops when they are asked to take the diversion.
Work of five flyovers at Rasulgarh, Vanivihar, Acharya Vihar, CRP Square and Fire Station Square started simultaneously. While all the other four flyovers are complete, the one at Rasulgarh is moving at a snail's pace.
Regional officer, NHAI, Odisha, L.P Padhy said the diversion had been made to expedite the construction of flyover. "We are expecting that it will start functioning by July 15," said Padhy.
