Patna: Commercial vehicles may soon be barred from the stretch between Patna Zoo Gate No. 1 and the Income Tax Roundabout as part of a traffic management plan aimed at easing congestion on Nehru Path (Bailey Road) caused by the ongoing Patna Metro Rail construction.The proposed arrangement also includes a diversion for autos and e-rickshaws near Punaichak— a key congestion point. Under the plan, these vehicles will be routed through the road behind Visvesvaraya Bhawan, Punaichak Road and Atal Path before joining Boring Canal Road via the Mahesh Nagar underpass.Metro construction is currently underway at three locations along Bailey Road, with the area near Rajbanshi Nagar Hanuman Temple emerging as one of the worst congestion points. Traffic movement remains particularly slow during peak hours, with frequent jams reported between 9am and 11am and again from 5pm to 8pm.Traffic police officials said autos, e-rickshaws and city buses contribute to congestion around Patna Zoo, Hanuman Temple, Vikas Bhawan and Niyojan Bhawan. The proposed restrictions and diversions are expected to improve traffic flow and provide relief to commuters.Traffic SP Sagar Kumar Jha said the diversion plan has not yet been finalised as civil and road-widening work is still underway.“Construction of underground metro stations is in progress and tree-pruning work is being carried out around Vidyut Bhawan. Once road expansion work is completed, we will finalise diversion routes and other traffic arrangements,” Jha said.Underground stations on Corridor I, or the Red Line, are planned at Patna Zoo, Vikas Bhawan and Vidyut Bhawan.Meanwhile, traffic congestion continues to be a concern on Budh Marg, particularly between the GPO Roundabout and Kotwali police station, due to metro construction work near Patna Junction. The movement of commercial vehicles, coupled with bus operations from the Multi-Modal Hub to various parts of Patna and other districts, has added to traffic pressure on the stretch.Traffic police are continuing enforcement drives against vehicles parked in no-parking zones on Budh Marg and other major roads. Officials said action is being taken against violators at locations where no-parking signs have been installed.
