Ranchi police have brought a special Durga Puja traffic plan into force, introducing diversions, entry restrictions, parking arrangements and a heavy-vehicle ban across the city until October 21 to manage crowds near puja pandals and other public places.
SP (Traffic) Rakesh Ranjan said police have installed 44 barricades and identified 23 parking areas as part of the arrangements. Drop gates and barriers have also been placed at 17 locations on the city’s outskirts to regulate vehicles entering Ranchi during the festival period.
Large vehicles will not be allowed to enter the city from 8am until 4am the following day. Within Ranchi, restrictions will apply from 3.30pm to 3am, covering the evening and late-night period when movement around major puja venues is expected to be heaviest.
Police have advised devotees to avoid using four-wheelers wherever possible to reduce congestion near pandals. During the restricted hours, private vehicles, autorickshaws and small goods carriers will not be allowed to travel from Kutchery Chowk towards Saheed Chowk, Firayalal Chowk and Sujata Chowk.
Several route-specific diversions have been announced. Vehicles travelling from Piska More towards New Market will be sent through Meenakshi Cinema Road, Pahari Mandir and Kishoreganj Chowk before joining the route towards Harmu. Four-wheelers travelling from Harmu towards Ratu will be stopped at Kishoreganj Chowk, while two-wheelers will be routed through Pahari Mandir, Meenakshi Cinema Road and Ratu More to Piska More.
Small vehicles will not be permitted on Main Road or on the New Market Chowk–Kishoreganj stretch during the restricted hours. Small four-wheelers travelling from the BJP office will be diverted through Peper Toli and Kathal More towards Piska More.
Additional controls will operate on other major approaches. Vehicles travelling from Kanke Road towards Kutchery Chowk will be routed through Zakir Hussain Park, while vehicles coming from Lalpur will be allowed only up to the JPSC office. Traffic from Bariatu Road towards Albert Ekka Chowk will be permitted up to Ramgarh trekker stand, and vehicles from Dangratoli Chowk towards Sarjana Chowk will be restricted up to Mission Chowk.
The Kokar–Lalpur Road has been made one-way for traffic moving from Lalpur towards Kokar. Vehicles travelling in the opposite direction will be diverted through Kantatoli. Police said the arrangements are intended to keep approach roads to major pandals clear during peak evening hours.
The plan will remain in force through October 21, with parking, entry controls and route restrictions forming the main components of the city’s festival traffic management system.
