Jose K Joseph
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 28: Water-logged roads, ongoing flyover construction work, stray animals and lack of pedestrian tracks make commuting during the monsoon a horrendous experience in Bhubaneswar.
Lack of reliable bus service between the twin cities Cuttack and Bhubaneswar has led to an increase in the number of motorists and private vehicles.
The roads in the Capital handle at least two lakh vehicles per day and more than 60 per cent households in the city possess two-wheelers.
Several motorists have invariably admitted that water-logging turns the roads slippery and delays commuting process.
“Bhubaneswar needs better drainage and sewage system. Many drains overflow immediately after a downpour and thick slurry from the drainage settles down on the roads. This turns the roads slippery during the rainy season,” said Pankaj Behera, a two-wheeler rider.
Similarly, stray cattle make maneuvring difficult for the motorists who blame the ongoing flyover construction work for the traffic snarls.
“Roaming stray cattle obstruct traffic at palaces and sometimes they fight in the middle of the road. The flyover construction near Rasulgarh square has worsened the road condition. So, before the onset of monsoon the works department should have ensured that the roads are jeepable and drainage does not interfere with traffic,” said a retired civil servant (four wheeler) Bijay Kumar Nayak.
Stray dog menace is discernible even at prominent locations like railway station and bus stand. Unfortunately, lack of waiting sheds and pedestrian tracks compound commuters’ difficulties in the city.
“During the rainy season pariah dogs usually enter the bus and railway station and become a nuisance themselves when passengers offer them food. This has aggravated the situation. Similarly, lack of waiting sheds has greatly disappointed the people who wait for the bus and the city needs more pedestrians tracks especially when it is becoming a smart city,” said rail commuter RK Panda.
When contacted, public relations officer of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation said the civic body has addressed these issues in the smart city project.
“We have identified lack of pedestrian tracks and waiting sheds and the smart city project will address them. BMC has also planned to arrange cycle tracks at feasible locations. We propose to open five pounds for stray animals and have sterilised over 14,000 stray dogs,” said BMC PRO Gopal Panigrahi.
Top BMC officials have told
Orissa POST they faced stiff resistance from animal activist whenever they addressed the issue of stray animals.
“We cannot remove stay dogs from the streets. We can vaccinate or sterilise them and release them at the captured location. Thus, we are aware of the stray dog menace, but we have limitations,” said a top BMC official who did not want to be identified.
Similarly, lack of parking lot has created traffic blocks.
“More than 500 trucks enter the city daily and the parking space at Rasulgarh is inadequate for them. The rain has aggravated the condition of the parking place. Two months back we had discussed with Bhubaneswar Development Authority, but the project is delayed,” said Bhubaneswar truck owners’ association president Niranjan Praharaj.
