Bhadrak: More than 25 years have passed since the announcement of Bhadrak as an independent district. The proposed traffic police station to tackle growing traffic woes seems to have suffered from the lackadaisical attitude of the district administration.
In such a situation, the traffic system is being managed by the district police with only 14 constables and two havildars. The local police are handling the road traffic in seven blocks including Bhadrak, Chandbali and Basudevpur towns.
In the wake of newly implemented Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 from September 1, the worries of Bhadrak town police have increased manifold for lack of infrastructure. The traffic situation is going out of control in the absence of roadside parking facility.
According to sources, the installation of automatic traffic signal system on every crossroad, zebra crossings on national highways and erection of traffic posts commissioned with LAD fund allocated by local MP in 2010, are all defunct now.
It is alleged that the traffic problems in Bhadrak district are largely due to not having an independent traffic police station. The proposals put up by the district administration to the state government for curbing road accidents have stopped midway.
Proliferation of roadside vendors, encroachment of public roads, numerous unmanned traffic posts, defunct traffic signal lights are the major issues which need immediate attention of the district administration.
Worthy to note, a traffic beat house which was opened near Bant Chhak Bus Stand in 2012 is left deserted, due to manpower shortage. The traffic posts erected by private mobile companies on important crossroads of the town are now lying unattended.
Reacting to this, Bhadrak town police station IIC Sarojini Singh said, “We are managing the traffic with limited staff. However, we are paying more attention to Apartibindha, Town Hall Chhak, Bant Chhak, Bypass Road, Charampa and New Bus Stand areas”.
PNN