KOLKATA: The busy Balason Bridge in Siliguri will be closed to traffic from 6 am on August 19 till 6 am on August 23 for repairs.
"Pillar number 6 that had been damaged has been repaired. It has been lifted by 300 mm. The Bailey Bridge that was used to support the damaged part of the bridge will now be removed. The CPWD had requested us to close the bridge for this," stated Gaurav Sharma, Commissioner of Police, Siliguri Metropolitan Police.
Traffic will be diverted for this. All Hill-bound traffic will take the diversion through Bengdubi and Panighatta. All traffic to Siliguri from Bagdogra will take detours through the Asian Highway, Kawakhali, Fulbari Canal Road.
"There will be traffic restrictions immediately after the bridge reopens to traffic on August 23. The maximum weight of vehicles with load allowed through the bridge will be upto 15 tons and height of 3.6m," added the Police Commissioner.
Owing to incessant and torrential rains in the Darjeeling district, the 6th pillar of this bridge, that had been built in the 1960s was damaged badly. Surge in water level and current, the 6th pillar had tilted on October 20, 2021. Not taking any chances, authorities immediately closed down the busy bridge connecting Matigara with Siliguri to vehicular traffic. They had to take a 7km detour.
Though pedestrians and two wheelers were allowed for some days after the damage, that too was stopped following an inspection by a team of engineers from Kolkata. It was then decided to replace the damaged part with a Bailey Bridge.
Work started on November 8, 2021. Following the closure of the Jai Hind Bridge in Kolkata in September 2018, the Bailey Bridge that connected Behala to Kidderpore, which was not in use, was dismantled and reassembled on the Balason Bridge. The bridge then opened up to traffic on December 3, 2021 after the Bailey Bridge was assembled for necessary support of the damaged area.