IT hub traffic feels ripple effect of health dept HQ stir
Times of India | 12 September 2024
Kolkata: The protests near Swasthya Bhavan near SDF Building in Sector V had a ripple effect on traffic to and from the IT hub, up to Metropolitan crossing on Bypass, on Wednesday. At one point, the tail of north-moving traffic went all the way back to Boat Club on Maa flyover, a distance of 6.3 km. The congestion began around 9 am and continued till noon, before easing out.However, the Karunamoyee-Sector V stretch witnessed slow traffic throughout the day.
Bidhannagar City Police and Kolkata Police were forced to divert vehicles from Chingrighata to Broadway. And buses to Sector V were also given the option to enter Salt Lake near Tank 13.
According to cops, some vehicles coming from Salt Lake and intending to move towards Swasthya Bhavan were diverted from Wipro More, moving left before entering Sector V from the Nayapatti end and then moving towards Technopolis before turning right and taking the Ring Road towards SDF Building More before going towards Swasthya Bhavan.
A number of buses coming towards Karunamoyee, too, used detours.
Annanya Sen, who travels from Behala to Ecospace for work, said she was stuck on the Maa flyover-Sector V stretch for around 50 minutes. On a normal day, it takes barely 20 minutes. “I had to take Broadway and my car was diverted twice on my way to office,” Sen said.
Another commuter, Sukamal Majumdar from Garia who took a bus, said there were not enough cops to manage those trying to reach Swasthya Bhavan. “I have my office in Sector V and had to walk down from Karunamoyee. Everyone was asking for directions and cops were heavily outnumbered. It took a long time to smoothen traffic in the area,” Majumdar said.
Officers said that with diversions from Chingrighata, vehicle movement to Beliaghata and Ultadanga — and even towards Science City — was hit as well. “Since we had to prioritize vehicles going towards Broadway from Bypass, we had to hold up traffic from Beliaghata Main Road and Salt Lake stadium,” an officer said.