Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has initiated a coordinated, multi-agency strategy to tackle mounting traffic congestion across the Twin City of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, with a high-level committee holding its first detailed review meeting on Tuesday.
The meeting, convened in the conference hall of the Planning and Convergence Department, was chaired by Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh. It follows recent directions from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to urgently address worsening traffic conditions affecting daily commuters.
The committee carried out an extensive review of congestion hotspots across Bhubaneswar, including Ravi Talkies Square, Mausima Temple Square, Sishu Bhawan Square, Museum Square, Kalpana Square, Jayadev Vihar Square, AG Square, KIIT Square, Kalinga Hospital Square, and Rajmahal Square.
Officials discussed both immediate, temporary interventions and long-term infrastructure solutions aimed at easing vehicular movement and improving pedestrian safety.
To ensure coordinated action, the Development Commissioner directed the formation of a joint technical team comprising officials from the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), Works Department, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), and the Commissionerate Police.
This team will undertake on-ground assessments at identified intersections, examine traffic flow patterns, and recommend remedial measures. Approved proposals will be implemented on a pilot basis before scaling up.
The approach, officials said, will allow authorities to test solutions in real-time and refine them before rolling out permanent interventions.
The committee has decided to hold monthly review meetings to monitor progress and ensure sustained attention to the issue. While Tuesday’s deliberations focused on Bhubaneswar, the next meeting will take up traffic challenges in Cuttack.
Among those present were Additional Chief Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department Usha Padhee; BMC Commissioner, MD Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) and BDA Vice-Chairman Chanchala Rana; and Police Commissioner of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack S. Dev Datta Singh, along with other senior officials.
Officials acknowledged that rapid urbanisation and rising vehicle numbers have intensified congestion across the Twin City, necessitating a structured, multi-layered response.
