Metro work effect: VIP Rd night traffic speed to drop from 35kmph to 10kmph
Times of India | 20 July 2023
KOLKATA: Starting sometime this month-end, those heading to the airport late at night to catch red-eye flights over the next four months need to factor in an additional half hour in the commute to prevent a late arrival due to the last mile bottleneck on VIP Road.
The just concluded trials of a constricted VIP Road between Haldiram and Kaikhali has indicated that even as late as midnight when traffic thins considerably on VIP Road, the average speed of vehicles negotiating the stretch is around 10kmph, down from the usual 35kmph. The drastic reduction in speed was seen despite goods vehicles being restricted on this stretch of VIP Road during the trials.
With the conclusion of the trials, the traffic blocks on VIP Road were removed on Wednesday and will be re-imposed before Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) starts work on the New Garia-Airport line later on this section this month. RVNL plans for a six-hour traffic block between 11pm and 5am daily on this section for four months to complete the Metro construction. The stretch between airport hotel crossing and Haldiram crossing has 17 pillars and thus 16 girders will have to be placed on top of them to complete the Metro link. On Wednesday, cops submitted a detailed report of the takeaways from the trial run on VIP Road.
"We have submitted the report to the state transport department with our findings and evaluations. Now the transport department will decide if there is need for more trials and when they will allow the Metro work to start on VIP Road," said an officer of Bidhannagar Commissionerate.