To ease traffic congestion on the busy Ultadanga Bridge in Kolkata, a new Bailey Bridge is being constructed to connect Dakshindari with AA Block in Salt Lake.
According to Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) officials, the bridge will provide a new route for vehicles heading towards Sector V and EM Bypass of VIP Road, helping to ease congestion during business hours in northeast Kolkata.
The under-construction Bailey Bridge – the second bridge of its kind across the canal between VIP Road and Salt Lake – is approximately 46 meters long and 7.5 meters wide. It will also be able to carry heavy loads and, unlike the current one-way Bailey Bridge near Lake Town, will operate as a two-way bridge.
Officials said construction work began on October 24, and the bridge is expected to be completed and open to the public by the end of the year. “The 46-metre-long bridge will cost around Rs 6 crore and the state urban development department is funding its construction,” a senior KMDA official said.
The bridge is being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), which will assemble the prefabricated units at the site, sources said. The bridge structure will be made of structural steel, with a concrete foundation.
According to a senior KMDA official, the Public Works Department (PWD) has proposed a crossing point on the VIP Road for vehicles from Salt Lake heading towards the airport. “The police will take the final decision after the construction of Bailey Bridge is completed,” the official said.
Currently, there are two bridges across the canal. The first, near Kestopor, connects to Salt Lake Reservoir No. 8, leading to Karunamoye, but motorists often avoid it because of its narrow road and multiple speed breakers. The second bridge, near Lake Town, is a one-way bridge used mainly by vehicles avoiding the Ultadanga Bridge to reach the EM Bypass. This bailey bridge was built in 2018 after cracks appeared in one of the bridges in Ultadanga.
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The upcoming Third Bailey Bridge is expected to significantly ease traffic congestion on the VIP Road and Ultadanga flyover, especially during peak hours.
(Tags for translation)Kolkata Bailey Bridge
