Budget 2021: Mamata bets big on flyovers, bridges, roads
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee laid special emphasis on infrastructure development with the main purpose to connect all rural roads with the state highways and augmentation of urban connectivity while presenting the interim annual financial statement and Vote on Account for the first four months for 2021-22 financial year at the state Assembly on Friday. She also proposed to waive off road tax on all passenger transport vehicles from January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021 (two quarters) in the wake of losses in the transport sector due to the pandemic.
The schemes proposed to be introduced by Banerjee with an allocation of Rs 2,475 crore includes a number of bridges and flyovers in Kolkata and its adjoining areas like a six-lane 5 km flyover between Tala and Dunlop on BT Road, a flyover connecting Airport Gate and Jessore Road on NH-34 and VIP Road, flyover from Ruby Hospital to Kalikapur with facility of skywalk, a flyover on Syed Amir Ali Avenue connecting Maa with Gurusaday Dutta Road, a 3 km connecting corridor between Ultadanga and Bangur Avenue, a new bridge in Kidderpore replacing the 75 years old iron bridge, a flyover from Metropolitan (EM Bypass) to New Town, a flyover from Sonarpur Bantala Road to Sonarpur-Chakraberia Road.
The other major infrastructure project includes a connecting bridge between Nandigram and Haldia on River Haldi, four-lane connectivity between Kolkata and Basanti in South 24-Parganas, a 9.5 km two-lane bridge on Raidak river on Boxirhat Jorai Road in Cooch Behar, widening of 60 km long road from Batalbari and Dhantala on NH-31, developing the existing four-lane road at Ghatpukur on Kolkata Basanti Highway further from Baruipur to Amtala, extension of Changrabandha — Jamaldaha — Mathabhanga — Cooch Behar Road on state highway 16 by 75 km and a bridge on Balason river in place of the old bridge connecting Siliguri and Darjeeling via Mirik.
The Chief Minister has proposed doing feasibility study for a number of flyovers – from Jibananda Setu to DPS Road crossing near Tipu Sultan mosque via Prince Anwar Shah Road, flyover form Posta Bazar to Ultadanga, flyover from Paikpara to Sealdah Station, flyover from Garia to Jadavpur along Raja SC Mullick Road, flyover from Majerhat to Tollygunge upto Jadavpur-Garia and a skywalk for pedestrians in Park Circus connector.
She also proposed construction of 46,000 km new rural roads in the next five years within which 10,000 km new rural roads will be constructed and repaired in the next year under Pathasree scheme. An allocation of Rs 500 crore for the next fiscal was proposed in this area. The state government, since taking over in 2011, has already constructed 89,574 km of new rural roads.
Banerjee announced the proposal to reconstitute West Bengal Highway Corporation as West Bengal Highways and Bridge Corporation.
