Traffic congestion on the narrow Mahammadia Bazaar Road. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, March 23: There seems to be no respite for the residents of the Millennium City who are now finding it difficult to cope with frequent traffic chaos on major roads.

Though most of the commuters are seen using the shortcuts to avoid traffic congestion on the main roads during peak hours, it has failed to solve their problem as even the short-cuts are now jam-packed owing to lack of space to accommodate the rising number of vehicles in the city.

Mahammadia Bazaar Road, which acts as a thoroughfare and a connecting link between Orissa High Court and Chandi Mandir Square via Chandini Chowk and Saikh Bazaar areas, is now suffering from severe traffic congestion.

The stretch of the road at Mahhamadia Bazaar is relatively narrow as one approach from Chandini Chowk and Saikh Bazaar sides.

“Traffic chaos on major roads has become a common feature. Even if we try to avoid the major roads during peak hours, it does not relieve us,” said Mohhamad Firoz (45), a commuter.

According to him, lack of adequate space for expansion of existing road, unavailability of parking space and road dividers (white line markings) on prominent streets are responsible for traffic congestion.

“A lot of shops and other commercial establishments have come up in the area. The lack of parking spaces is causing a lot of inconvenience to the residents and commuters as they are forced to park their vehicles on the road,” said Siba Prasad Das (55).

Traffic from Sutahaat, Khatbin Sahi, Mehendipeer, Alisha Bazar, and Seikh Bazaar areas converge at the busy Mahamadia Bazaar Road.

“The road at Mahhamadia Bazaar is quite narrow and regular traffic congestion is creating a lot of problems not only for commuters but for residents like us as there has been a considerable rise in air and noise pollution here,” said Dilip Behera (39), a local resident.

On the other hand, traffic sources said that adequate steps are being taken to regulate traffic on the major streets of the city.

“A lot of proposals are on the cards for better traffic management, including installation of traffic signals at new areas. This would be crucial in streamlining traffic movement in the respective areas,” said an official.