Bhubaneswar: Buses stopping to pick up and drop passengers at the exit points of the flyover on NH-16 near Acharya Vihar here is creating a significant safety risk for commuters.
Many people, primarily students who reside in Acharya Vihar and nearby areas, board the buses as they halt at the two points, leading to frequent accidents.
“We have no alternative but to cross the highway to board buses,” said Sampat Mohanty, an Acharya Vihar resident.He said the next bus stop point is located more than 2 km away. “It is a risk but we are forced to take it. The authorities could designate a bus stop equipped with safety measures on the stretch,” said Mohanty, an IAS aspirant.
Acharya Vihar houses several coaching centres. Students hailing from various parts of the state as well as outside reside there and close by, making it a densely populated locality.
The NH-16, which runs right through the heart of the city, has a parallel flyover with exit points at Baramunda, Fire Station, Nayapalli, Acharya Vihar, Satsang Vihar and Palasuni, where the buses make exits and stop to pick up and drop off passengers. While the exit points at other locations are expansive and accessible, the ones at Acharya Vihar on both sides of the highway, are narrow lanes. The stoppage of buses also trigger traffic jams often on the highway during the peak hours.
“The practice of buses stopping on the narrow exit lane leads to traffic congestion,” Pitambar Jena, a commuter, said.
City mayor Sulochana Das said that they are aware of the problem and will deploy an enforcement squad to look into the issue. “We will take the help of commissionerate police if needed and generate awareness among bus drivers not to stop at the exit points,” she said.

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