Boost for Orange Line as work starts on diversion route at airport exit
Times of India | 12 March 2026
Kolkata: In a major boost for the Orange Line, RVNL has started carving out the traffic diversion route from the airport. All stakeholders — Bidhannagar City Police, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Air India, RVNL, and Metro Railway — have agreed to steer cars exiting from the airport through this alternate route, only during an emergency, to facilitate the metro corridor's last leg. The new route should be ready within a month, officials said.
However, the road may be used for only 48 hours should there be a huge subsidence during work on tunnelling the last 135 m in the box-pushing method, RVNL has been told. While developing the new road, RVNL simultaneously carried out extensive grouting to execute India's longest box-push tunnelling below the exit road from the airport.
The new road will be carved out after razing the boundary wall of Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL). RVNL will build a ramp from the main exit road and extend it to the new route, which will end at Airport Gate 1.
"The airport area is a sensitive zone. Only if the subsidence is beyond control will the new road be used. RVNL will barricade the new road so it can be unused unless an emergency situation emerges during the box-pushing activity. The subsidence will be arrested in 48 hours, during which, this road will be used," an official said.
At present, extensive grouting is underway to strengthen the porous soil. The tunnelling has now reached below the airport exit road.
Explaining the route, a Bidhannagar traffic official said, "Once passengers exit the airport, after driving for around 100 m, they will turn left from the AI gate. The gate has already been widened for free passage of vehicles and is currently blocked with a blue metal divider. The gate earlier had a small passage with a staircase, which has now been razed."
Once vehicles enter this road, they need to travel for around 30 m on the 20ft wide stretch before turning right and going straight for another 40 m before they reach the BSF gate. This gate will also be dismantled, and cars will turn left from this spot, moving another 30 m–35 m before turning right to reach VIP Road. Work is underway to raze the gates, widen passages, install signage and deploy cops.
"At present, the road is used by AAI employees to park two-wheelers. They will be removed to make way for a smoother passage of vehicles and allow the tunnel construction work on the airport exit road," the officer said.