Cuttack: DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo on Saturday appealed to devotees to avoid travelling in private four-wheelers and instead use public transport to ease traffic congestion, as massive crowds descended on the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar-Puri route for the Suna Besha of Lord Jagannath.DCP Khilari was seen at Madhupatna Chowk in Cuttack personally interacting with motorists and spreading awareness about opting for trains and buses. Traffic police officers distributed awareness messages over the PA system and advised commuters that heavy traffic was expected throughout the day due to the influx of pilgrims. Officers were seen in vehicles spreading messages over the microphone and announcing the use of public transport.
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The appeal came as traffic congestion began building up from the entry point near the Puri bypass on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, with long queues of vehicles moving towards the pilgrim town. Officials said the situation was likely to worsen as the day progressed with thousands of devotees travelling to witness the annual Suna Besha ritual.“We appeal to devotees to use public transport, particularly trains and buses, instead of private four-wheelers. This will help reduce congestion and ensure smoother movement for everyone. Those travelling by car may face long delays due to the unprecedented rush,” DCP Dnyandeo said, while interacting with commuters at Madhupatna.Two platoons of police forces were deployed in Cuttack to streamline traffic till Puri Bypass.The Cuttack-Bhubaneswar-Puri corridor witnessed bumper-to-bumper traffic from Madhupatna through Phulnakhara up to the Puri bypass near Hanspal on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, as thousands of devotees headed for the Suna Besha celebrations.Long queues of private vehicles and buses led to slow-moving traffic for several kilometres. Police patrol vans remained on the move along the stretch, regulating traffic at key junctions, clearing bottlenecks and making efforts to streamline vehicular movement.Police intensified traffic regulation at key junctions in Cuttack and along the route to Bhubaneswar, while coordinating with authorities to facilitate the movement of emergency vehicles and public transport.Traffic officials said they would continue monitoring the situation throughout the day and issue real-time advisories depending on vehicle movement towards Puri.“The police’s appeal intends well but it should have come at least a day or two earlier. By the morning of Suna Besha, thousands of vehicles already started for Puri and traffic congestion had set in,” said Saroj Pradhan, a commuter travelling towards Puri.“Advising people to use public transport after they are already on the road is not very effective. Better planning and advance awareness could have reduced the rush,” added Pradhan.
