New bailey bridge connecting salt lake and VIP road opens for two way vehicular movement from 7am to 10pm
Kolkata: Following trial runs, the newly set up bailey bridge connecting Salt Lake AA Block and VIP Road at Dakshindari is now open for both-way vehicular movement from 7 am till 10 pm. Further steps, such as installing height bars, CCTV and a traffic signal system on the VIP Road approach end, will be taken, after which the bridge may be thrown open for 24 hours of vehicular movement as planned.
Earlier, The Bidhannagar traffic police had initiated a trial run of the bridge from the evening of February 11 to assess the traffic flow patterns and to check whether any hindrance occurred in managing traffic.
During the trial run, the traffic police found a few issues which needed to be resolved. Officers said that it was necessary to install height bars, especially on the approach road on the VIP Road end, to prevent the entry of very heavy vehicles weighing over 100 MT. A proposal was already placed to the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), the agency which set up the bailey bridge.
It also came to the notice of the police that safe movement of vehicles plying on VIP Road needed to be ensured. Traffic police said that there needed to be 24 hours of traffic surveillance at the place to prevent any mishap, as city-bound vehicles would also be moving in from the Lake Town end. For this, CCTVs and a traffic signalling system are being planned to be installed on the VIP Road end approach end of the bridge.
Motorists overall welcomed the setting up of a bailey bridge at the place, saying that they are now conveniently entering VIP Road from Salt Lake and moving towards Lake Town without facing the traffic congestion at Hudco and Ultadanga crossings.
“Entering the airport-bound VIP Road flank from Salt Lake is now much easier and less time-consuming. However, a little congestion occasionally occurs on the Salt Lake end of the bridge, as the canal-side road at AA Block is not wide enough to take in large vehicles entering from VIP Road,” said a motorist.
The 140-feet-long double-lane modular steel bailey bridge, the first of its kind bailey bridge in the city, was set up by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
The bridge’s truss structure was fabricated and launched by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) on January 16. The bridge has a carriageway width of 7.5 meter, which is double the width of the earlier bailey bridge set up at Lake Town. The galvanised surface finish ensures easier maintenance and longer service life, with a load capacity of facilitating vehicular loads up to 100 MT, officials said.
Box
What -- Trial run of newly set up bailey bridge connecting Salt Lake AA block and VIP Road near Dakshindari completed
* The bridge is as of now open for both-way traffic from 7am to 10pm
* Further steps like installing height bars, CCTV and traffic signalling system has been planned to be installed MSID:: 128779729 413 |