Cuttack, Dec 1: Police are finding it difficult to regulate the crowd on Bali yatra ground because of rampant illegal parking.

The trend of illegal car parking in various areas of the Bali yatra ground has also sparked off resentment among visitors.

"Police start to regulate traffic on all the major routes leading to the fair ground from around 2pm during festive period. However, revellers park their vehicles near the vending kiosks and in other vacant public places by early in the afternoon," said Subhrakant Sahu, a visitor to the fair.

He alleged that apart from the fair ground, many people were also using stretches on Ring Road near Gadagadia Ghat and Barabati Stadium to park vehicles.

"Illegal parking has caused severe traffic problems on routes, particularly near Nari Seva Sadan at Buxi Bazar, Mata Matha and near Girnar Hotel on Cantonment Road. Traffic chaos peaked in these areas when about eight lakh visitors thronged the Bali yatra ground last Sunday," said Dilip Swain, a resident of Buxi Bazar.

Swain added that the police should take adequate steps to curb illegal parking as the footfall on the fair ground was expected to increase especially in the last two days.

More than six lakh visitors thronged the Bali yatra ground today.

The police, however, claimed that they were carrying out regular drives to check illegal parking on the fair ground.

"We have so far penalised more than 150 traffic rules violators in the last five days of the fair. We are also slapping a fine of Rs 500 on the violators," said P.K. Dalai, assistant commissioner of police (traffic).

Dalai added that they were making public announcements before launching the drive against illegal parking. Vehicles that are parked illegally are being towed away to a temporary traffic outpost near the fair ground.