KMDA mulls building twin bridges in city to ease traffic load
KOLKATA: Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) is preparing the scheme for construction of a bridge across Circular Canal to connect Canal West Road and Raicharan Sadhukhan Road for better traffic movement towards Kolkata railway station.
It has also started soil testing and is expected to start a survey for feasibility of another bridge over the same canal on the western side of Chitpur bridge to connect Rabindra Sarani and Railway Service Road to ensure better circulation of traffic at and around the vicinity of the zone of confluence.
The Traffic Department of Kolkata Police had proposed the construction of these twin bridges for the purpose of better traffic circulation to KMDA in March.
The RG Kar Bridge has tremendous traffic pressure as people from North 24-Parganas have to travel through this ageing bridge to reach North and Central Kolkata. There is also a considerable large number of pedestrian movements with patients and their family members visiting RG Kar Hospital by availing this bridge. The Kolkata Station's close proximity further increases traffic on the bridge.
"We feel that a bridge across Circular Canal to connect Canal West Road and Raicharan Sadhukhan Road for better traffic circulation towards Kolkata railway station is of utmost importance,"a senior official of Kolkata Police's Traffic department said.
The second bridge on Circular canal on the western side of Chitpur bridge to connect Rabindra Sarani and Railway Service Road has been proposed to ease traffic movement along KVV Avenue, Cossipore Road and Chitpur Lock Gate flyover where traffic volume has increased considerably after demolition of the Tala flyover.
The Traffic department has recently sent a proposal to KMDA CEO Antara Acharya for widening of the western flank of Naskarhat culvert by constructing a new bridge in front of Arsalan Restaurant on EM Bypass.
"The western flank of EM Bypass is 40 percent narrow at this place because of the Naskarhat culvert over the existing drainage canal. So the pressure of traffic during peak hours is immense at this point," pointed out a senior official of Traffic department.
