Bhubaneswar, Dec. 9: Chaos is the order of the day at Master Canteen Square, one of the city's busiest traffic junctions.

Lack of basic traffic management measures, such as a modern signalling system and deployment of adequate police personnel, and scant regard for road rules have been the reason for vehicle flow going haywire at the crucial junction.

Wrong-side driving has become a major traffic issue as vehicles coming from Mahatma Gandhi Marg side cut short their route by avoiding the approach road to Bhubaneswar railway station and taking Janpath south to reach the road adjacent to Jai Prakash Narayan Park, where many prominent retail outlets are located.

In another case of traffic violation, vehicles coming from the Sriya Square side on Janpath south take a U-turn to enter Janpath north giving a slip to the Master Canteen roundabout altogether.

A major traffic accident may occur at Master Canteen Square at any moment due to these serious traffic violations.

Vehicles coming from PMG Square side and intending to go towards commercial establishments on the road beside Jai Prakash Narayan Park near the railway station should first take the road connecting the railway station and then take a L-turn towards left. But, violation has become the norm at this junction.

Surprisingly, though a police assistance booth is situated at the roundabout, local traders allege that the policemen posted there take no care to guide the traffic in the right direction.

"Traffic at the roundabout becomes chaotic during peak hours due to vehicles moving on the wrong side. It seems like police are posted at the major traffic intersection only to penalise motorcyclists who do not wear helmets. Police remain a mute spectator to wrong-side driving," said local resident Sarat Jena.

In July, the police and public works department had closed the only cut in the median on the stretch of Janpath between Master Canteen Square and Sriya Square as the gap was creating a traffic mess with vehicles frequently taking a U-turn from the point.

But ever since this was done, vehicles have started taking the U-turn from the roundabout, which is only a few meters away from the cut, instead of using the earlier gap.

Urban management experts demanded that the police should take stern action against drivers plying their vehicles in wrong direction.

"The roundabout is one of the busiest junctions of the city. Hundreds of commuters pass through it every hour. Even a slight mistake can cause a major accident," said urban management expert Piyush Rout.

Assistant commissioner of police (traffic) Jatindra Kumar Panda, however, said that they would shortly launch a drive to curb wrong side driving at the Master Canteen Square.

"We have been conducting frequent drives on Janpath. Offenders are penalised every now and then for wrong side driving. We will also launch a drive to check wrong-side driving at the roundabout," said Panda.

Panda said that traffic signals were usually not installed in roundabouts.

"Traffic is not controlled by signals near most of the railway stations. Besides, introduction of a signalling system would create further traffic chaos at the roundabout," he added.