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Bhubaneswar: If everything goes as per plan, we might soon see an end to traffic problems particularly on the stretch of NH-16 connecting the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar as Commissionerate Police is keen to introduce the concept of ‘lane driving’.
A proposal in this regard is being mooted by the Commissionerate Police which wants to launch a pilot project for the same. In a letter to the Principal Secretary of the Home Department, Traffic DCP Sagarika Nath has urged the government to convene a meeting of all stake holders to build a sense of ownership and consensus for the lane driving project.
At present, the road between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar has three lanes on each side and these lanes should ideally segregate vehicles using speed as a variable. As per the proposal, Commissionerate Police is of the view that the slowest traffic should stick to the left most lane and fastest to the right most lane.
"The lane driving which is being followed worldwide can play a crucial role in increasing the speed of vehicles and thereby reduce time in covering the journey. Similarly, lane discipline will eliminate overtaking by vehicles which is the reason behind road accidents and reduce fatalities," Traffic DCP wrote in a letter to Odisha government.
Despite being a six lane highway, it usually takes 45 minutes or more to travel from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar and vice-versa. The travel time can be reduced to a great extent if lane driving is introduced as a pilot project on NH-16 and then replicated to other roads of the State.
Citing that special measures like proper signage and strict enforcement are required for full compliance with the lane driving concept, the Commissionerate Police has proposed for a three-staged approach in this regard for the implementation with necessary assistance from NHAI.
Commissionerate Police has suggested that NHAI should install necessary signage and lane markings (thermo plastic). As the per proposal, one gantry every two kms specifying speed limit (40 kmph) for the left most lane, middle lane (60 kmph) and extreme right (80 kmph) needs to be installed/ marked.
Several signage informing drivers about ‘no overtaking on left’ and ‘overtaking only on right’ and ‘no entry’, ‘no parking’ and ‘drive in lane’ also needs to be installed.
As part of the proposal, the Commissionerate Police has suggested for segregation of lanes using polyurethane cylindrical bollards and even deployment of traffic personnel for physical segregation of traffic as per the identified lanes.
(Edited By Bikram Keshari Jena)
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