Bhubaneswar: Major traffic congestion was experienced by commuters travelling on National Highway 16 in Bhubaneswar on Friday as the Khandagiri flyover has been closed for routine maintenance work.
In view of the maintenance work, the Commissionerate Police has announced traffic diversions near Khandagiri. The traffic diversion has been made following a request by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), Bhubaneswar, to facilitate repair of the grade separator structure at the Khandagiri flyover, sources said.
As per a public notice issued by the police, vehicles coming from Bhubaneswar towards Khurda on NH-16 are being diverted through the service road in front of Hotel Kharavela up to the TVS showroom. The move aims to ensure public safety and smooth traffic flow during the execution of the construction work.
The traffic diversion will remain in force for 12 days, from August 21 to September 1, 2025.
Instruction has been issued for prior announcements to be made through public address systems and wide publicity in print and electronic media to inform commuters about the diversion. The responsibility of sensitising the public has been given to NHAI and the concerned construction company.
Many commuters have complained about long traffic jams and delays while traveling through the service road.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been assigned the repair work, and officials have sought additional time to complete the project. Commissionerate Police has urged citizens to cooperate with the temporary traffic restrictions and assured that measures are being taken to manage the situation.