About Garia Bridge

New year hope for car crawl

THE TELEGRAPH, Issue Date: Monday, December 18, 2006

A STAFF REPORTER

The bridge over Tolly’s Nullah, in Garia, is likely to be opened in the new year, bringing an end to the long ordeal of local residents.

The bridge, which connects Calcutta with Sonarpur and Baruipur (where the headquarters of South 24-Parganas will be shifted), is scheduled to be opened on January 1, said Goutam Chatterjee, executive engineer of the irrigation department.

“Our men are working overtime. We hope work will be over by December and we will open the bridge on New Year’s day. The bridge has four lanes to accommodate heavy traffic,” he added.

The earlier bridge on the Nullah was made of steel. But the increasing volume of traffic on the stretch prompted the authorities to replace it with a concrete structure with pavements on either side.

The irrigation department started construction in association with the Metro Railways in August 2005. The estimated budget was around Rs 70 lakh.

Work was expected to be complete by March, but got delayed by around nine months because of “non-performance” of the construction agency.

In the absence of the bridge, passengers to and from Sonarpur and Baruipur have to take the busy Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. As a result, the passengers waste a lot of time travelling owing to traffic snarls during the peak hours.

“The traffic situation will be normal as soon as the bridge is inaugurated. We are trying to relocate the autorickshaws near the bridge to minimise the traffic chaos. We will arrange other modes of transport for the passengers,” the official added.

Garia on Shyambazar route

THE TELEGRAPH, Monday, August 11, 2003 |

DEBASISH CHATTOPADHYAY

Come February 2004, the Garia crossing, considered to be the gateway of all south Calcutta-bound traffic from different points of the Sunderbans, will boast five approach roads, Shyambazar five-point-crossing-style.

The Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has jointly undertaken a Rs 2-crore project with the Public Works Department and the South 24-Parganas district administration to expand the Garia crossing. Officials said on Friday that work will begin by the middle of the month and is expected to be completed within the next six months.

“By next year, the Garia crossroad will be refurbished on the lines of the Shyambazar five-point crossing, with approach roads from five different angles. One can easily reach any part of south Calcutta, Howrah or Sealdah station without facing a jam,” said Birendranath Ghosh, chairman of Borough XI of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation.

The construction of a big traffic island tops the agenda, with an automatic signalling system to monitor traffic movement. There are over 20 bus routes bound for Howrah, Sealdah, the airport, and several other parts of the city. Over 2,000 private and state buses ply the area every day, catering to several lakh commuters.

A senior CMDA official said the project was conceived way back in 1982, but could not be undertaken for various reasons, particularly litigation over acquisition of land and interference by some local political leaders. “We have undertaken the work after two decades and are determined to complete it as soon as possible,” he added. Nearly 70 shops and a police outpost near the crossing are being shifted to widen both Netaji Subhas Road and Raja S.C. Mullick Road as part of the programme.

Garia bridge was expanded a few years ago to accommodate two-way traffic. This has helped ease traffic flow in the area, thanks to four narrow approach roads linking Garia with Tollygunge, Jadavpur and far-flung areas of South 24-Parganas. “We have decided to widen all approach roads for smooth flow of traffic,” said Sudhanshu Sil, member of the CMDA board.

The ongoing construction of two proposed Metro Railway stations near Garia bus terminus and Garia station has necessitated the widening of approach roads. “Once the approach roads are widened, these are bound to be less congested,” he observed.

A CMDA official said the Garia crossing has to be expanded for the construction of flyovers both at Lake Gardens and at Sonarpur. Besides, the Prince Anwar Shah Road connector with Eastern Metropolitan Bypass will cause further traffic congestion at the crossing after its completion.

“We have already undertaken the job of widening the Prince Anwar Shah connector along the EM Bypass,” the official added.