A man takes a risky walk across Link Road in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, April 21: The model code of conduct for elections has stalled various projects, including closing down cut-points on Link Road median or raising the railing’s height to curb jaywalking, which often results in minor road mishaps here.

The problem has been persistent at Link Road and Madhupatna almost for the past three years. But, sources in the department said that in the past one-and-a-half years, it had been so busy in dealing with a number of rejigs in the police cadre and the transfer of two assistant commissioners of police that it could not afford time to look into such problems.

“Due to enforcement of model code of conduct for the elections, there are some problems in executing various projects. However, we will shortly take up the issue at the traffic management committee meeting to be held tomorrow,” said a senior traffic official on condition of anonymity.

There are at least three major openings on the stretch up to Link road — in front of Shaktinagar petrol pump, near Sarojini hospital and near Sambad office.

Though traffic officials closed the cut-point in front of the petrol pump two years ago, the openings on the railing was not closed — which is the case at the two other places.

The pedestrians use openings on the road divider to cross the road — a risky affair that has already resulted in a few road mishaps here. “Around two persons suffered minor injuries while crossing the road through the wide openings every week, while no step is being taken to close down the unwanted openings,” said Sudharkar Das, a commuter.

Mostly shop owners, traders as well as passengers frequently use the gaps between the railings on the road divider to cross over the road.

Sushant Muduli, 32, a businessman, who stays at Kesharpur, suffered injury on his right leg after being hit by a speeding motorcycle while jumping over the median.

Earlier, the public works department had raised the railing’s height from Badambadi to Palamandap on request of traffic officials. But, it is yet to implement such measures at Link Road and Madhupatna.

The height of the railing was raised at Badambadi junction in May last year after it had been observed that pedestrians used to resort to jaywalking to cross the road instead of using the foot overbridge established by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation.

A senior traffic official said that at present, there was no proposal of raising the height of the railing on the road divider at Link road. However, a review will shortly be conducted to rectify such lacunas. Besides, police had also decided to penalise the jaywalkers for such violations. However, the risky practice is still on.

Link Road is one of the major intersections and exit route as well as connecting link with the national highway No. 5 and other parts of the city.

“Raising the height of the railing is not the only solution. Rather traffic officials should close down unwanted openings from the entire stretch of Palamandap to Madhupatna,” said Badambadi resident Sagar Routray.

Routray said the traffic officials should also ensure that at least there were two identified locations for the pedestrians to cross over the road. This can be done by installation of speed breakers and zebra crossing marks on the road.

A senior traffic official said that a review would shortly be conducted on the requirement of raising the height of the railing on the median.