Patna : A new traffic plan has been introduced at Patna Junction in an attempt to tackle chronic congestion caused by haphazard parking and the indiscriminate stopping of autos and buses.
On Wednesday, Traffic Superintendent of Police (SP) Aparajit Lohan and Deputy SP Anil Kumar personally oversaw the changes at the Patna Junction roundabout, ensuring that vehicles from Dakbungla Square were redirected via the second lane after making a full turn around the roundabout. The intervention resulted in smooth traffic flow, with no major jams reported.
Under normal circumstances, autos and e-rickshaws take an alternate lane before crossing the roundabout, disrupting the movement of vehicles heading from Mahavir Mandir towards Fraser Road. This often leads to gridlock. As part of the new measures, autos and buses have also been barred from stopping near the junction roundabout to pick up or drop off passengers.
New traffic measures under consideration
The Traffic SP has instructed officers to enforce this new traffic flow daily. Authorities are also exploring further steps to ease congestion, including relocating Tata Park to Pal Hotel and reducing the size of the roundabout. Discussions are ongoing about how to regulate the movement of street vendors, auto-rickshaws, and buses in the area.
Lohan emphasised that vehicle routes have been designated to utilise nearby parking facilities, including the multi-modal parking hub, Tata parking, and Buddha Smriti parking near the General Post Office (GPO). A full-scale trial of these new routes is planned for the near future.
Safety improvements planned for key roads
In a separate development, the Traffic SP, along with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials, inspected key roads, including Zero Mile, Pahadi Mod, Masaudhi Road, Didarganj, and Gandhi Setu.
During the inspection, Lohan instructed NHAI officials to raise the divider between Pahadi Mod and Masaudhi Mod to four feet, citing frequent accidents in the area. The current divider, standing at just four inches, allows pedestrians to cross unsafely.
Further measures include restricting service lane access on hilly bends to small vehicles and ensuring continuous movement of all vehicles. Drivers who leave broken-down vehicles in service lanes will now face fines. Additionally, Lohan urged NHAI to repair potholes along key routes.
