State pushes for Sealdah Flyover repairs ahead of Durga Puja

Kolkata: The state government is eager to complete the repairs on the Sealdah Flyover, also known as Vidyapati Setu, just in time for this year’s Durga Puja celebrations.

Senior officials from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) will conduct a joint inspection on June 25. During this visit, they will thoroughly examine the site and simultaneously encourage the shopkeepers of Sisir Market, located under the bridge, to temporarily relocate to facilitate the renovation work.

Several pillars of the bridge, crucial to its foundation, have deteriorated significantly. An expert committee, formed in the wake of the Majerhat Bridge collapse in September 2018, has recommended urgent renovation to address these issues.

A significant challenge in initiating repair work on the bridge is the presence of numerous shops located beneath it.

While a portion of the shopkeepers has agreed to temporarily relocate to facilitate the renovation of the flyover, which dates back to 1970, some others have declined

to move.

“I will speak with the shopkeepers,” said Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, who also chairs the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). “The primary repairs on the bridge will take about three months. The work will be carried out in phases, so we won’t need the shops to be closed for the entire three months,” he said.

According to KMDA sources, the bulk of the repair work will be completed before Durga Puja, allowing businesses to thrive during the festival season. The remaining work is planned to be carried out during the winter months.

The joint inspection will include identifying an alternative location for temporarily relocating the shopkeepers as close to their current sites as possible.

It’s important to note that, despite multiple discussions with the market association, the administration has

yet to achieve a successful resolution regarding the

temporary relocation.