Patna: Patna is getting ready for a big Republic Day celebration on January 26 at Gandhi Maidan, and for this reason, major traffic changes will be in place across the city. From 7 am until the end of the ceremony, normal and commercial vehicles will not be allowed to enter Fraser Road and many nearby roads. The decision was taken after a joint meeting of the District Magistrate and the Senior Superintendent of Police. The aim is to ensure that the event runs smoothly and that large crowds can move safely around the area. However, emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire engines will be allowed to pass at all times.
The area around Gandhi Maidan will be under strict traffic control during the programme. The road from Dakbungalow Chowk to JP Golambar, near Maurya Hotel, will be kept only for the movement of the Governor, the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister and other special guests. Vehicles will not be allowed to go from Dakbungalow Chowk towards Gandhi Maidan through New Dakbungalow Road and SP Verma Road. In addition, all eastward traffic from Kotwali T-point to Police Line on Buddha Marg will be stopped. Regular vehicles will be guided from Voltas Chowk to Police Line through Vidyapati Marg to avoid traffic jams.
More restrictions will be in place in the Chhajjubagh area. Traffic will be stopped from Chhajjubagh towards JP Golambar and also from Chhajjubagh Chowk towards the SDO residence on Buddha Marg. Only vehicles with special passes will be allowed to go from JP Ganga Path, near the Commissioner’s office, towards AN Sinha Institute and Gandhi Maidan. Private vehicles coming from Fraser Road will be diverted at Dakbungalow Chowk towards Bhattacharya Chowk, Peermuhani and Nala Road. If any vehicle enters Exhibition Road by mistake, it will be sent back near Big Bazaar and redirected to Bhattacharya Chowk.
Public transport will also follow new routes on Republic Day. City buses travelling between the engineering college and Gandhi Maidan Chowk will go through Machhuatoli, Dariyapur Tiraha, Nala Road, Peermuhani and Patna Junction, and will return through the same route. Auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws will run between Patna Junction, New Dak Bungalow Road, Bhattacharya Chowk and Exhibition Road up to Big Bazaar, before returning via Bhattacharya Chowk, the CDA Building and Goria Toli. Commercial vehicles coming from Patna City will be directed through Musallahpur Haat, Bari Path and Khajanchi Road South and will also return using the same roads.
To help people attending the ceremony, the administration has arranged separate entry gates and seating areas for women and students. Parking for two-wheelers and four-wheelers will be available on the roadside in front of Udyog Bhawan. With these arrangements in place, the authorities hope that people can enjoy the Republic Day celebrations peacefully while traffic across Patna remains under control
