Rush near Golebazar during Durga Puja in Sambalpur. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, Oct. 3: Police have made elaborate plan to regulate vehicular movement during Durga Puja in the city that witnesses traffic congestion because of narrow streets and ongoing widening work.

“Traffic congestion is a problem here, thanks to the narrows streets. Moreover, while the number of vehicles is increasing day by day, shortage of traffic staff remains the same. However, we have chalked special plan to regulate traffic during Dussehra. We will earmark parking place for the vehicles,” said Sambalpur superintendent of police Nikhil Kanodia.

As per the traffic management plan, movement of trucks and mini trucks in the city will be restricted from 4pm to 2am during Pujas. The police have also earmarked parking lots at several places across the city. The four wheelers and three wheelers will not be allowed on the flyover after 4pm. The buses will not enter the town during Pujas. The movement of four wheelers will be restricted at Golebazar Chhak, Peerbaba Chhak, Municipality Chhak, Sansadak and Badsadak. Moreover, one-way traffic system will be implemented at different streets between October 3 and 6.

Eleven platoons of armed jawans, six platoons of home guards, one deputy commandant, three deputy superintendent of police, 10 inspectors and 120 constables will be deployed during Puja.

The civic authorities have also made elaborate arrangements to keep the city clean during Puja. “We have pressed into service four vehicles for each pandal to clean the garbage,” said executive officer of the Samablpur Municipality Subash Chandra Sathia.

Pandals have been set up at around 45 places across the city. “We are celebrating the silver jubilee this year. We have estimated to spend Rs 12 lakh in Puja celebration. Several cultural and entertaining programmes will be organised,” said Lalit Pattnaik, president of the Ainthapali Durga Puja committee.