Bhubaneswar: Pokhari- put railway overbridge was thrown open to traffic after over half a decade of wait on August 24, but the free movement of vehicles in violation of road rules at the square near it has raised serious safety concerns.

The presence of two leading schools and residential colonies nearby has aggravated the concern of commuters and residents, who fear that the square might soon become an accident-prone area.

The three peak traffic hours on the bridge coincide with the opening and closing times of the two major schools, making the area risky for students.

Senior citizen and a prominent member of the resident welfare association of Kalu Nanda Nagar, N.K. said the roundabout should have been shifted towards the bridge.

Only days before the bridge was inaugurated, the roundabout was build and complicated traffic movement in the area.

"The movement of traffic and pedestrians in a set pattern is very important, but here all vehicles are moving towards each other. Commuters passing through this junction are confused as they find it difficult to negotiate the traffic and reach the other end," said Patnaik.

Medical practitioner Sabyasachi Das said: "The new square at Pokhariput near the overbridge is a nice initiative, but the authorities should have done a survey before revamping the road before the facility was inaugurated."

The Pokhariput flyover is 673metres long. The span of the bridge is 358.8 metres and the approach roads from the Pokhariput and the Bhimatangi sides are 95metre and 219.20 metres long, respectively. While the bridge was build for Rs 21 crore, the approach road, land acquisition and replacement of a police colony cost another Rs 11 crore.

Without the flyover people it used to take commuters 20-30 minutes to cross the stretch. The problem would aggravate when schools and colleges remained open.

With the inauguration of the bridge, travel time has been slashed significantly. But the traffic mess has caused a serious concern among nearby residents, said a member of the local residents' welfare association.