The construction of the arm connecting Maa Flyover with the approach road of AJC Bose Road flyover on the western flank has begun in full swing on Tuesday.
The city police have restricted movement of vehicles along Circus Avenue to expedite the construction work. Once the construction of arm is complete, traffic congestion at Park Circus Seven Point crossing will be a thing of the past. The arm will run above Congress Exhibition Road connecting the approach road of AJC Bose Road flyover. Nabanna-bound traffic from Eastern Metropolitan Bypass will take less than 15 minutes to reach Vidyasagar Setu once the construction is over. The flank is likely to be opened before Durga Puja.
Maa Flyover is the longest flyover in the state having a length of 9.2km. The construction of the flyover then known as Parama Island flyover began in 2003 with the funds available under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM). The estimated cost was Rs 320 crore. However, it took more than a decade to complete the construction and the estimated cost went up to Rs 460 crore. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee opened the flyover and renamed it as Maa Flyover in August 2015.
In absence of the arm, Vidyasagar Setu-bound vehicles have to come to the Park Circus connector and then take Circus Avenue to reach the AJC Bose Road Flyover.
As vehicles from South Kolkata intending to go to EM Bypass are not allowed to take right turn at Park Circus crossing, they have to take Surawardy Avenue and then take a right turn from Don Bosco School to reach the Bridge Number 4 connector and then take a left turn to reach EM Bypass.
This route is not only cumbersome but also there is a huge traffic jam in the morning and evening peak hours because of vehicles dropping schoolchildren. This problem will be over as the flyover will be opened to both way traffic and vehicles will be allowed to take a right turn at Park Circus connector to take the bridge.
Motorcycles are not allowed on the flyover after 10 pm as a safety measure and cameras have been installed to control speed of vehicles thereby reducing road accidents on the flyover. Senior police officers said more speed controlling cameras will be installed under Safe Drive Save Life scheme.