Bhubaneswar: The annual Bali Jatra festival is set to be held at Bankual in Bhubaneswar from November 15 to 22 and the Commissionerate Police has issued traffic restrictions for the convenience of people.
Sources said these measures, which will remain in force from 2 pm until the crowd disperses, are aimed at ensuring public safety, preventing congestion, and maintaining the smooth flow of traffic during the event.
Major Traffic Restrictions & Vehicle Parking:
-Heavy Vehicles are not allowed to ply from Gandhi Chhak to Sai Mandir Chhak, Lingipur Chhak to Tankapani Road and Hi-Tech Chhak to Tankapani Bridge
-Vehicles coming from Sai Temple Square towards Bali Yatra will be stopped at the blocking point and redirected to park at designated locations, including Crystal Mandap and KM Convention.
-Vehicles from Rangabazar towards Bali Yatra will be redirected to park at Rangabazar parking point.
-Vehicles from Balakati will be redirected to park at Gadasrirampur parking point.
-Vehicles from Hi-Tech Medical and Bankual Village sides will park at Balunkeswar Gada or Gas Godown parking points.
-Vehicles coming from Lingipur Village via river road will park at Basua Ghai Nadipatha parking point.
-Vehicles from Mancheswar will park at the designated river bank parking area.
-Vehicles from Barimunda will be redirected to park near Lakheswar Temple (Parking-II).
-Vehicles from Patia will be redirected to park near Barimunda Panchayat market (Parking-III).
-Minabazar parking will be reserved for event management and participants (Parking-IV).
Diversions:
-Tourist vehicles from the Nandankanan side will be blocked at Injana Canal Bridge and redirected to Rasulgarh / Palasuni via Canal Road.
-Emergency vehicles, including those from the Police, Fire Brigade, Excise, and Ambulance services, will be exempt from these restrictions.
The Commissionerate Police has urged the public to plan their routes in advance to avoid inconvenience. Violation of these traffic regulations will be treated as an offense under Section 96 of the Odisha Urban Police Act-2003 and may result in fines ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per violation.