ROURKELA: Rourkela is grappling with unprecedented traffic congestion due to lack of adequate parking facilities, particularly along the 4.5 km stretch from Bisra Square to Ambedkar Square in Uditnagar.
The situation is worsening as commercial activity intensifies, with the section from Uditnagar to Panposh also facing growing congestion.
The Rourkela Smart City Ltd (RSCL) has struggled to address the parking issue. A Multi-Level Car Parking (MLCP) facility near Bisra Square, costing approximately Rs 40 crore, accommodates 180 cars but has proved ineffective due to its inconvenient location.
Similarly, a parking lot opposite the BSNL office at Uditnagar is underutilised and has turned into a food court. The RSCL’s plan to deploy battery-operated vehicles to shuttle people between parking lots and the main road needs urgent revival.
The only viable option appears to be converting the defunct Works department residential colony near the Old Taxi Stand into a second MLCP.
Another MLCP could be planned near the Traffic Gate or along Power House Road to address the crisis. Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) commissioner and RSCL CEO Ashutosh Kulkarni acknowledged the growing parking issues and stated that efforts are underway to create new parking spaces.