Thousands of daily commuters in Kolkata's southern fringes finally breathed a sigh of relief as the crucial Taratala flyover was reopened for normal traffic on Wednesday morning. The Public Works Department (PWD) handed over the structure to the police after completing a mandatory four-day load testing exercise, ending a period of severe congestion.
Commute Nightmare Turns to Smooth Sailing
The shutdown, which began on Saturday evening, was originally scheduled to end by Tuesday midnight but extended slightly past Wednesday midnight. This closure severely impacted residents of Behala and large sections of South 24 Parganas heading towards Maheshtala, Amtala, and Diamond Harbour, funneling all traffic onto the already burdened Diamond Harbour Road.
However, proactive measures by traffic police from Tuesday morning provided a preview of the relief to come. To manage the immense load, police implemented strategic diversions starting at 7 am from key points:
- Roy Bahadur Road
- Sahapur Road
- SN Roy Road
- James Long Sarani
- Biren Roy Road
Additionally, a section of Roy Bahadur Road was made one-way to improve flow. These interventions significantly eased the gridlock experienced on Monday.
From 85 Minutes to Under 25: A Commuter's Tale
The dramatic improvement in travel time was best illustrated by commuters like Moumita Pal, a tech professional working in New Town. "I spent 85 minutes crossing 3.5 km from Behala Chowrasta to Majerhat on Monday," she recounted. "On Tuesday, after the police diversions were in place, it took less than 25 minutes to cross the same stretch." Her experience highlighted the critical role of the flyover and the effectiveness of coordinated traffic management during its closure.
Essential Testing for Long-Term Safety
The extended shutdown, while inconvenient, was deemed a necessary step for public safety. The load testing conducted over four days is a standard engineering procedure to assess the structural integrity and capacity of a flyover. It ensures the bridge can handle the designed weight and traffic volume safely. The PWD's completion of this test and subsequent handover marks a return to normalcy for one of South Kolkata's key arterial connectors.
With the Taratala flyover now fully operational, the travel chaos that gripped the region has subsided. The episode underscores the infrastructure's vital importance and the need for periodic maintenance and testing to ensure commuter safety, even if it requires short-term inconvenience.
