Kolkata: Traffic movement on Sealdah flyover will be suspended for three days after August 15 in order to test its load capacity. A stretch on the flyover between M G Road Crossing and Beliaghata Main Road Crossing will be closed for vehicular movement during the period.
According to state Urban Development minister and Mayor of Kolkata Firhad Hakim, the x-ray from under the flyover has already been done. "What measures need to be taken on the Sealdah flyover can be said only after the load capacity test. Hawkers who run their businesses under the flyover said they will free the area before any work commences," said Hakim.
On Thursday, the Kolkata Police received a letter regarding the closure of the flyover. For that, the police are chalking out the necessary diversion plans which will be notified accordingly. Though no particular plan has been drawn yet, a preliminary proposal has been made in this regard. Sources informed that all South-bound vehicles will be diverted through M G Road and Amherst Street and Lenin Sarani in order to reach Moulali Crossing. If the pressure of traffic increases at any point of time, the traffic may get diverted from Maniktala Crossing to Amherst Street.
The North-bound vehicles may get diverted using S N Banerjee Road via Janbazar/Esplanade, Bidhan Sarani, College Street and M G Road in order to reach Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road in Sealdah.
On the other hand, vehicular traffic will also be diverted through Beliaghata Main Road and Canal West Road to reach North Kolkata. However, the actual plan will be published through a notification by the Commissioner of Police (CP), Kolkata, soon.
"We have received the letter from the KMDA. Marking of diversion routes is in process. It will be declared accordingly," said Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) Pandey Santosh.