The flyover will connect (top) Museum Square with Kalpana Square (above). Telegraph pictures

Bhubaneswar, March 13: A plan for a flyover connecting Kalpana Square and Museum Square promises to ease traffic and lessen the woes of commuters on national highway No. 203.

The state government plans to build the flyover for which the housing and urban development department will send a proposal to the Union ministry of urban development to fund the project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

The housing department has asked the public works department to submit a detailed project report by the first week of May.

The flyover, to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 125 crore, will be built over national highway No. 203 and originate from Museum Square behind the office of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. It will take a U-turn at Kalpana Square and touch down at the railway overbridge at the end of Buddha Nagar. The tentative length of the flyover will be around 900 meters.

“A tender to rope in a private consultant to conduct a field survey and to prepare a detailed project report has already been floated,” said chief engineer (roads) Bijan Kumar Behera.

The proposed flyover will enable commuters coming from Mausima Square to take the flyover if they want to go to Rajmahal Square. Commuters going to Rasulgarh can continue on the present road. Those going towards Puri will be able to take a bypass.

Increasing vehicular movement on national highway No. 203 has made Museum Square vulnerable to accidents. Though there is a roundabout at Museum Square, vehicles come from various directions are creating problems for commuters.

Traffic becomes chaotic in peak hours because of the presence of a number of government establishments such as State Museum, BJB College and the district and sessions court there. The proposed flyover will ease traffic in the area.

“The point on which the road coming from Mausima Square meets the national highway has become very dangerous. A flyover will definitely help commuters,” said Sudhakar Sahu, a local resident.

Cuttack-Bhubaneswar police too feel that both Kalpana Square and Museum Square are among the most congested traffic junctions in the city. “Narrow roads along with the presence of a number of important offices have made traffic control a huge task at both the squares,” said a senior police official.

Special secretary of the housing department S.K. Ratho said the proposal would be sent to the Union ministry for further approval after getting the detailed project report.