Jamshedpur, Sept. 29: Dearth of constables and parking lots near the markets in the steel city are virtually bringing the traffic to a standstill every evening in the lead-up to two major festivals — Id and Durga Puja.

With revellers on a shopping spree, it has become virtually impossible to enter Bistupur and Sakchi markets in the evening with two-wheelers and cars.

The entrance to the Diagonal Road in Bistupur — the stretch that leads to the market from the traffic junction — has emerged as a trouble zone for traffic movement. Similar is the case with the entrance to the Sakchi market from both main turnaround and the Basant cinema.

It took Mohan Mishra, an executive of a private firm in Adityapur Industrial Area, almost half-an-hour to drive his car outside the Bistupur market after he got stuck in a jam on the Diagonal Road last evening.

Same was the case with several other people.

“The city has become a mini Mumbai. I had come to buy Puja essentials for Navratra but found myself caught in a never-ending jam. I was perspiring in humid conditions,” said Mishra.

Deputy superintendent of police (traffic) Aman Kongari admitted that they were finding it difficult to regulate traffic in festival rush.

“We have inadequate manpower to control the traffic in the city. But we are trying our best to overcome the problem,” he said.

Kongari told The Telegraph that they have only 65 traffic constables to man the city roads. “We need several more to monitor the traffic during the rush in the markets. Reports of jams are pouring in at regular intervals,” he said.

The senior police officer said the situation might improve during the Puja as 44 traffic constables are expected to join the force in a day or two.

The deputy superintendent of police further stated that they were also verifying parking slots for a hassle- free Puja. Besides, a map was also being prepared to effectively regulate the movement of traffic.