Bhopal: For commuters travelling between Rang Mahal Square, Jawahar Chowk, Depot Square and Bhadbhada Square, navigating the road has become a daily test of patience and driving skills. With Metro construction eating into a major portion of the carriageway, motorists are left with narrow lanes on either side. Potholes, uneven concrete patches and damaged road shoulders have made the already constricted stretch even more difficult to negotiate.With Anant Chaturdashi approaching and Ganesh idols expected to be transported towards Prempura Ghat for immersion, the battered road has emerged as a major challenge for traffic police. Commuters say they are already struggling to negotiate the stretch during routine traffic.‘No room to manoeuvre’:Rakesh Singh, a Jawahar Chowk resident, said the road carries heavy traffic, including two-wheelers, cars, heavy vehicles including school buses and e-rickshaws. With little room to manoeuvre, motorists have to slow down to negotiate potholes and damaged portions. Two-wheeler riders face greater difficulty as they try to dodge potholes while sharing the narrow carriageway with other vehicles.He said Jawahar Chowk has both a busy main market and a vegetable market, resulting in severe congestion during evening peak hours. The narrow road becomes particularly difficult to cross during rush hour, with traffic jams a routine occurrence.Hanuman temple stretch worst hit:Another resident, Deepak Tripathi, said the stretch in front of Hanuman temple is particularly narrow and both the road and shoulders are in poor condition. Concrete patchwork at several points has left the surface uneven, making driving more difficult.He said cut points between Metro barricades on Jawahar Chowk-Rang Mahal Square stretch were meant to allow vehicles to cross into the opposite lane. However, motorists often find these gaps blocked by parked vehicles. Those wanting to cross over are consequently forced to travel a considerable distance before taking a U-turn.“Traffic chaos has become a daily affair, especially during peak hours,” Tripathi said.Heavy vehicles add to woes:Uttam Khudra, a Kolar resident, said traffic movement between Bhadbhada, Depot Square and Jawahar Chowk has slowed considerably. When a heavy vehicle or school bus is ahead, motorists have little space to overtake and often remain stuck behind it for a long stretch.E-rickshaws, which operate in large numbers, also move slowly over potholes and uneven patches, further adding to congestion.Idol procession could put traffic to test:A senior traffic police officer said the situation could become considerably more challenging during Anant Chaturdashi, when large Ganesh idols mounted on tractors will be taken towards Prempura Ghat near Bhadbhada Square. The narrow lanes leave little room for tractor-mounted idols to pass, while roadside trees further reduce the available space.The damaged road surface is another concern. If motorists are struggling to negotiate potholes and uneven patches under normal traffic conditions, movement of large tractors carrying idols could become even more difficult, the officer said.Alternate route under consideration:Another senior traffic police officer said officials will conduct a final assessment before deciding the arrangements for idol immersion. Idols will continue to be taken to Prempura Ghat, but instead of routing them from Rang Mahal Square through Depot Square, they may be diverted from Roshanpura Square towards Mata Mandir.From Mata Mandir Square, the proposed route would pass through Depot Square and Bhadbhada Square before reaching Prempura Ghat.Additional DCP (Traffic) Basant Kaul said Metro project columns have now started coming up between Roshanpura Square and Depot Square, making it unlikely that the construction agency will be able to immediately undertake major repairs or widening work on this stretch.However, considerable work on the Metro project has been completed between Depot Square and Bhadbhada Square, and some barricades have already started being removed. Discussions are underway to remove the remaining barricades as well, he said. The construction agency has assured that once they are removed, the available road width will be increased. The construction agency officials have also assured that potholes on the stretch would be filled and the damaged portions of the road repaired.