Kolkata: Commuters and transport operators across Kolkata are breathing a sigh of relief as a 300-metre stretch of VIP Road, long plagued by traffic bottlenecks due to Metro construction work, finally reopened for public use. The thoroughfare, a key arterial route connecting the northern suburbs to central Kolkata, was partially encroached upon by Metro authorities for nearly two years, severely disrupting passenger vehicular movement. The barricades were necessary to facilitate the construction of piers in the New Garia-Airport Metro link line.
TOI reported how the three-lane road was reduced to a two-lane thoroughfare to facilitate the work since the middle of 2023. With the piers now up and ready, the road has returned to its original width, restoring smoother, quicker, and safer travel for thousands of daily commuters.
“The encroachment resulted in the narrowing of multiple lanes along the stretch between Ultadanga and the airport. Heavy machinery, barricades, and construction materials claimed a major chunk of the road’s usable space, creating chronic congestion, long delays, and a sharp rise in road rage incidents during peak hours,” said a senior officer of Bidhannagar City Police.
However, the authorities successfully completed the crucial pier construction work and related infrastructure work in certain affected sections, following which Metro cleared the occupied road space of around 3 feet on each flank and restored it for full vehicular use.
“This is a massive improvement,” said Soumya Mukherjee, a daily office commuter from Bally to New Town. “Earlier, it used to take me nearly 20 minutes just to cross the VIP Road stretch between the airport and Haldirams during rush hour. Now it barely takes 5 minutes. The difference is night and day.”
Public transport services, including buses, app-based cabs, and autos, have also welcomed the change. Operators noted improved travel time and fuel efficiency. “We used to lose several trips a day because of the traffic snarls. Now, with the road fully open, we can make up to 20% more trips,” said Md Aftab, an app cab driver.
With the barricades removed, PWD repaved the pathway with paver blocks and put median dividers throughout to prevent jaywalkers from crossing the stretch. Separate pedestrian crossover zones have also been established. Pedestrians previously struggled to navigate makeshift pathways squeezed between heavy traffic and construction zones. With crossover points and clearer roads, movement has become more organised and less hazardous.
Bidhannagar Traffic Police have also begun reconfiguring traffic signals and reintroducing earlier traffic patterns to optimise the flow further. New traffic signal posts have been installed, and additional police personnel have been deployed during peak hours to ensure smooth navigation.
“There are two more sections which are still encroached upon because of the Metro construction work. However, we are no longer waiting for the entire work to get over and are in regular discussion with Metro authorities to remove barricades and get the road space up for traffic movement as and when the work on that section gets over,” said another senior officer. MSID:: 120257197 413 |