BHUBANESWAR: With the opening of all business establishments in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack after a prolonged lockdown, chaos has returned to the roads in both the cities. However, the Twin City traffic management is in a state of complete disarray as it has been rendered headless in the absence of the Traffic DCP.
The lone post of Traffic DCP has been lying vacant after the transfer of Saumya Mishra to Punjab in February this year. At present, Additional Traffic DCP Kishore Kumar Panigrahi is overseeing the operations in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack under the supervision of Police Commissioner SK Priyadarsi.
The woes of the traffic wing do not end here. Far from increasing personnel in view of rise in vehicular population and expansion of the cities, the traffic wing does not even have its own reserve office. The personnel are now being deputed from the reserve offices of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack urban police districts (UPDs). While the AG Square and Chandrasekharpur traffic police stations have 450 and 160 personnel respectively, Cuttack has around 200 personnel. However, police personnel including constables and havildars are being sent to the three traffic police stations from Bhubaneswar and Cuttack UPDs on deputation basis as and when required.
A traffic officer said, “If any employee applies to return to Bhubaneswar or Cuttack UPDs, we struggle to arrange his/her replacement.” This apart, the traffic wing lacks a motor vehicle section. As a result, the traffic police stations depend on Bhubaneswar and Cuttack UPDs for vehicles and fuel.
At present, the traffic police station at AG Square has 14 two-wheelers, three four-wheelers, one truck to carry seized vehicles and three cranes, while Chandrasekharpur has seven motorcycles and one four-wheeler. Traffic officers, however, said establishment of a separate reserve office for the wing, and appointment of a reserve inspector and two sergeants are immediately required for traffic planning and management.
Issues galore
There are three traffic police stations in Twin City
AG Square has 450 personnel
Chandrasekharpur has 160
Cuttack has around 200 personnel
Traffic wing does not even have its own reserve office