Bhopal: Vehicular Gridlock Adds To Chaos During Rush Hours

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Traffic jam during peak hours specially in evening rush hours due to traffic diversions and regular congestions, has become a routine affair on major routes like Board Office to Hoshangabad Road via Chetak Bridge and MP Nagar Police Station to Rani Kamlapati Railway Station via DB Mall, Board Office Square.

Traffic jams are common at DB Mall, Board Office Square, Pragati petrol pump square, BJP office Tiraha, Jyoti Talkies Square, ISBT Square during rush hours. The traffic jam leads to increase in travel time, reduction in speed and increase in fuel consumption.

Construction of Rail Metro work is being carried out in front of DB Mall, which causes congestion throughout the stretch. It leads to traffic jams. Road has been made one-way from MP Nagar police. Traffic congestion at Board Office, Pragati Petrol Pump Square, BJP office Tiraha is common sight.

However, from Board office to Chetak Bridge, traffic exceeds road capacity, specially in the evening hours. Rush of heavy vehicles including public transport adds to gridlock at Jyoti Talkies Square on all the four sides. Similarly, traffic jam occurs at Anna Nagar Tiraha near Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT).

Long queue of vehicles from all the three sides are routine on Hoshangabad Road. ISBT is near Chetak Bridge. As a result, passengers buses add to chaos. BCLL officer Sanjay Soni said, “Diversion and congestion due to construction of rail metro is main cause of traffic jam on these routes. RTO and traffic police should take action.”