City waits for 3,800 metre link to connect KEW & BEW
Times of India | 9 December 2024
Kolkata: A 3,800-metre link is left to connect Belghoria Expressway with Kalyani Expressway in one of the major highway redevelopment works in recent times. This can reduce travel time between Kolkata Airport and Kalyani AIIMS—a 43 km journey—to 45 minutes from 2 hours.
Kalyani Expressway, a 44.2 km long, 4 and 6-laned, tolled highway that connects Kolkata with its satellite city Kalyani, is set to join Belgharia Expressway—a 16 km long speed corridor that connects Kolkata Airport to Dakshineswar at the "zero point", which is a place between Mathkal and Sukantapally bus stops.
While the majority of the work is complete, a 600-metre portion of the new road is still under construction. Once it is done, the two speed corridors can meet, making travel much smoother than it is now.
To ensure there is no congestion at the zero point, the state PWD is also constructing a 1,300-metre elevated corridor between Mathkal and Sukantapally so that Dakshineswar and airport-bound traffic can zoom past above the zero point crossing where the two expressways meet.
Sources said pillar laying along a 650-metre portion of the bridge is complete, and work is progressing at a steady pace. "Piling work for pillars is underway for the remaining portion. However, the work is causing traffic congestion and is holding up east-west traffic movement at the work intersections. For better flow of traffic, a two-lane service road is being carved out on Belghoria Expressway so that the bridge can come up causing less inconvenience to the public," said a senior officer of Barrackpore City Police.
The expansion project of the 6-lane elevated connector linking Belghoria Expressway and Kalyani Expressway encompasses broadening Kalyani Expressway to 6 lanes, spanning from Nimta to Muragacha (4.6 km). There are a total of 19 bridges planned in the extension project, work on more than 12 of which is complete. There will also be multiple underpasses.
The project started in June 2019, and the scheduled completion period is Sept 2025. Officials, however, said the deadline for completion is unlikely to be met.
The Kalyani Expressway extension serves as a crucial connection between Belgharia Expressway and Nadia district, continuing across Ishwar Gupta Setu to link with Hooghly. A new section is under construction on the right side, which will traverse through Nadia and extend to Baro Jagulia via an elevated corridor.
However, there are some challenges, including legal complications that the state authorities are dealing with in the connection between the Nimta stretch and Belgharia Expressway. "The hindrances on one side of the road between Belghoria and Nimta have been cleared, but there are some complications on the right side, including several encroachments," said an official.
Officials said construction of 4-lane roads along a 39-km stretch out of a total of 43 is complete and can be made operational from next year. State PWD minister Pulak Roy said last week on Wednesday that the construction of 4-lane roads in the 4-km stretch between Belghoria Expressway and Muragacha crossing has been delayed due to litigations, but the construction of 2-lane roads along this stretch will be completed by May 2025.
Setting up of high mast lamps has been ongoing between Muragacha More and Kampa More on Kalyani Expressway. "Once the four-kilometre lane becomes operational, it will ensure smooth vehicular movement. The comprehensive project is scheduled for completion in the upcoming months," officials said.
Kalyani Expressway provides swift connectivity between Kolkata and its northern suburban areas within the Kolkata metropolitan region. The Belghoria Expressway spans 16 km as an elevated bypass expressway.
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