Bhubaneswar: In order to ease growing traffic in the state capital, the public works department has drawn up a comprehensive Bhubaneswar decongestion plan featuring 37 road development projects, including the construction of three new road overbridges (ROBs) in partnership with the railways.The details were presented during the ongoing Budget session in the state assembly by works minister Prithiviraj Harichandan. The minister was replying to a query raised by MLA Dhurba Charan Sahoo about steps being taken by the govt to deal with the rapid urbanisation of Bhubaneswar. The minister said the plan was designed keeping in mind Bhubaneswar’s rapid urban expansion, sharp rise in population and vehicle density and the increasing number of people entering the city every day for work, education and other purposes.
“The focus is on widening key arterial stretches, upgrading existing roads and adding new links wherever required. The objective is to reduce congestion and facilitate smoother movement across the city,” he said.The three ROBs, proposed at key choke points, aim to eliminate long waiting times at railway level crossings and ensure uninterrupted mobility. The 37 projects collectively cover major corridors, emerging urban pockets and newly developing residential zones.Residents, however, said the city urgently needed timely execution. “Announcements are good, but projects must finish on time. Several stretches remain dug up for months, adding to chaos,” Sasmita Patnaik, a resident of Samanta Vihar, said.She added that the crucial stretch between Acharya Vihar and Sainik School has been dug up for months. “This is a key stretch that witnesses frequent movement of ambulances. The slow pace of work is really making things worse,” Patnaik said.Commuters along the high-density routes hoped the new ROBs will bring relief. “Level crossings slow down traffic massively during peak hours. An ROB near our area will change the daily commute,” Manas Ranjan Dash of VSS Nagar said.Local shopkeepers also felt smoother roads would help business. “Customers avoid coming to crowded pockets because of jams. If roads are widened, footfall will increase,” Rakesh Sahu, who runs a store near Laxmi Vihar, said.“For a fast-growing IT and education hub, modern road infrastructure is essential. The decongestion plan is a much-needed upgrade,” software professional Priyanka Mishra said.
