BHUBANESWAR: Commuters had a harrowing time caught in a traffic jam for hours on Friday as Rasulgarh area in the capital city came to a standstill due to illegal parking of vehicles near roadside firecracker shops.
With the city police failing to regulate the pre-Diwali rush, vehicles remained stranded for long stretches on the main road and adjoining lanes as shoppers thronged the area to buy fireworks. The narrow service road, already burdened with heavy traffic, became nearly impassable during the evening peak hours.
Residents and daily commuters said the vehicles parked next to the stalls had considerably reduced the space available for movement. Buses and auto-rickshaws plying on the stretch further aggravated the problem.
“It took me nearly 45 minutes to cover a stretch that normally takes 10 minutes,” said Satyajit Rout, a resident of Jharpada, who was caught in the jam while returning from work.
Despite the police having issued hundreds of licences for temporary shops across the city, illegal parking near many of them continues to create traffic chaos.
This year, the police have granted a total of 442 licences for temporary firecracker shops across the city. Of them, Jatni police have granted 121 licences, Khandagiri 75, Balianta 48, Chandrasekharpur 46, Info Valley 42, Mancheswar 27, Badagada 20, Nayapalli 18, Pahala 10, Tamando nine, Airfield and Dhauli eight each, Nandankanan six and Chandaka four.