Illegal parking and rampant encroachments by roadside shops along the busy 1.5-kilometer stretch from Badambadi to Bajrakabati Road have become a major headache for commuters, leading to severe traffic congestion and daily snarls in the city.
Busy Commercial Corridor
The stretch, considered one of the busiest commercial corridors in the city, witnesses heavy movement of buses, auto-rickshaws, two-wheelers, and pedestrians throughout the day. However, unauthorized parking of vehicles on both sides of the road and extension of shops onto footpaths and carriageways have reduced the usable road space, resulting in frequent bottlenecks.
Commuters' Complaints
Commuters alleged that despite repeated complaints, no permanent action has been taken by the authorities to remove the encroachments or regulate parking in the area. During peak office and school hours, vehicles remain stranded for long periods, causing inconvenience to thousands of people.
“It takes nearly 30 minutes to cross this small stretch during evening hours. Illegal parking has completely paralyzed traffic movement here,” said Suresh Behera, a private firm employee.
Shibangi Mohapatra of Bajrakabati Road said pedestrians are forced to walk on the main road due to encroached footpaths. “Shopkeepers have occupied almost half of the roadside area. It has become risky for pedestrians, especially children and the elderly,” said Mohapatra.
Impact on Auto-Rickshaw Drivers
Auto-rickshaw driver Ramesh Nayak said traffic congestion has affected daily earnings. “Passengers get irritated because of the delay. The authorities should immediately clear the encroachments and penalize illegal parking,” he added.
Student's Perspective
A Ravenshaw University student, Swagatika Mishra, said, “The situation worsens during weekends. The road remains choked because vehicles are parked randomly near shops. There is no proper monitoring by traffic police,” she added. “Immediate intervention from the administration is required before the situation worsens further,” she added.
Authorities' Response
Mayor Subhash Singh said the civic body and traffic police would jointly conduct enforcement drives to remove illegal encroachments and regulate parking along the stretch. “We are aware of the issue and steps will be taken to ensure smooth traffic movement and convenience for commuters,” Singh said.
