Patna: A project to ease traffic congestion at Patna Junction has fallen short of its promise, despite an expenditure of nearly Rs 1.71 crore on reducing the size of the roundabout. The redesign created a three-lane, 10.5-metre-wide circulation road, but the chronic jams remain largely unchanged.
One of the lanes has been entirely taken over by illegal vendors, with more than 50 makeshift stalls spilling onto the roadway. The encroachments effectively reduce the newly built three-lane stretch to just two lanes, forcing vehicles into a bottleneck.
Commuters heading towards Patna Junction from Mahavir Mandir report daily delays, while traffic from GPO, Chiraiyatand, Fraser Road and vehicles exiting the station’s parking area routinely grind to a halt around the roundabout.
Despite the persistent congestion, neither the Municipal Corporation nor the traffic police have taken action to clear the encroachments. Vendors continue to operate in full view of traffic personnel, while civic officials pass through the area without intervening. The district administration has also yet to launch any enforcement drive, leaving the junction’s busiest corridors clogged and commuters frustrated.
