Patna: District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh and Senior Superintendent of Police Rajeev Mishra held a high-level meeting on Wednesday with traffic officials to address persistent congestion in Patna. Discussions focused on key bottlenecks, including Mahatma Gandhi Setu, Zero Mile, and Phulwarisharif, with new measures introduced to ease traffic flow.
One of the major causes of congestion, officials noted, is the movement of nearly 1,000 sand-laden trucks crossing Gandhi Setu from Koilwar Bridge via Naubatpur, AIIMS, and Phulwarisharif Zero Mile between 11 pm and 5 am. With ongoing roadwork restricting traffic to just two lanes near Hajipur, heavy congestion occurs in these areas.
To mitigate the issue, officials decided to restrict the movement of sand trucks on Gandhi Setu. Instead of 1,000 trucks between 11 pm and 5 am, only 500 trucks will be allowed passage between 12 am and 3 am. Furthermore, these vehicles will now follow an alternative route via Patna Ring Road (Bihta-Sarmera Road to Beldarichak, Gopalpur, and Zero Mile) instead of passing through Naubatpur, AIIMS, and Phulwarisharif.
During the meeting, the Superintendent of Police (Traffic) proposed installing a pontoon bridge over the Ganga until the new Mahatma Gandhi Setu is completed, allowing smoother movement of smaller vehicles. The District Magistrate stated that an assessment would be conducted before any decision is made.
Additionally, the meeting addressed the impact of Uttar Pradesh’s ban on the entry of heavy vehicles until January 31, which has led to trucks being stranded in Buxar and Ara. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely to prevent further disruptions.
