Traffic chaos at Mani Mandir crossing near Khannagar in Cuttack. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Sept. 16: The traffic situation at Mani Mandir crossing in the city is in a mess. This crossing is an important entry and exit point of the city.

“One needs to be extra cautious while changing lanes at this crossing because traffic from the national highway No. 5 and the city road converge here,” said Pradip Behera, a motorist.

Hundreds of commuters depend on the vital junction to move towards NH-5 from Khannagar via the Ring Road. The absence of traffic constables here is to blame for the disorganised traffic at the crossing, Behera said.

Mani Mandir crossing is the converging point for traffic coming from the Bhubaneswar side through the national highway. A lot of commuters take the route to travel towards high court and CDA areas in order to avoid congestion on Link Road and Badambadi.

Besides, a lot of motorists also take this route from Khannagar, Dolmundai and other areas to travel towards Bhubaneswar through Ring Road.

Minor accidents take place nearly every day here owing to the lack of speed restriction at the blind turn just a few meters from the crossing. A lot of commuters have stressed on installation of speed-breakers near the junction.

“There is a blind turn under the Kathajodi bridge near the crossing, which has become an accident-prone stretch,” said Dwibendu Mishra, another motorist. He said traffic from the Panchamukhi Hanuman temple side converges directly near the blind turn on the main road.

The route, which was earlier closed down, has now been reopened so that people can go to Government Press and Nuapada through here.

Senior traffic officials said steps were being taken to streamline traffic at Mani Mandir crossing and home guards would be deployed to man the junction soon.

“All traffic issues will be resolved at the earliest as there is a proposal to install a digital signalling system at Mani Mandir crossing,” said assistant commissioner of police (traffic) Pramod Rath.

Complaints of illegal parking near the crossing will also be dealt with soon, a traffic official said.