Bhubaneswar: Police have identified two locations for additional traffic police stations in the city.

At present, the city has only one traffic police station at AG Square while its vehicular population has crossed 10 lakh.

The police said while a patch of government had been identified between Aiginia and Tamando, another patch of land was identified between Rasulgarh and Palasuni for the two traffic police stations.

"A proposal to set up two traffic police stations has been sent to the government. We area awaiting the government's approval," said a police officer.

Police sources said that according to the Bureau of Police Research and Development, a Union home ministry organisation, a city like Bhubaneswar requires 600 traffic personnel.

However, the city only has around 250 traffic cops, including constables, home guards and Odisha Auxiliary Police Force personnel to manage traffic. In order to meet the manpower shortage, the police had launched a traffic volunteer scheme in April 2015 and has roped in 150 students to assist traffic personnel.

"It has become difficult for the enforcement team to cover a city that is growing briskly. The existing traffic police station is also entrusted with VVIP duty and traffic management during law and order situations. There is a need for additional traffic police stations. Both the proposed traffic police stations will also manage vehicular movement on the national highway passing through the city," said a police officer.

According to data, 186 people died in 598 road mishaps in 2016, while the city witnessed 600 accidents that killed 175 in 2015.

"Around 80,000 vehicles join the fleet a year. The vehicular population was around 8 lakh three years ago, but it has crossed the 10 lakh mark," said a transport official.