Bailey bridge to be constructed within seven days as Ultadanga flyover repairs can take two months

It may take two months to repair the Ultadanga flyover, that acts as an important link between the main city and the NSC Bose International airport. Thus, the Bengal government has decided to construct a Bailey bridge immediately, in order to maintain smooth flow of traffic along VIP Road.

A one-way Bailey bridge will be constructed over Kestopur canal, state municipal affairs minister and Kolkata Mayor Firad Hakim said. The area is being thoroughly examined now. A similar arrangement was worked out after the collapse of the Majherhat bridge last year.

The Bailey bridge will help smoothen traffic movement because not all vehicles moving towards the city have to converge on the Ultadanga crossing. Once the bridge is constructed, vehicles from the airport and VIP Road can go towards Salt Lake and this will naturally take out the pressure from the Ultadanga region.

Some cracks were noticed in the Ultadanga flyover a few weeks back, and traffic movement was stopped on the flyover immediately. After a thorough survey, it has now been concluded that the repair work will take a couple of months. Mackintosh Burn – which has constructed the flyover – has been assigned with doing the repair work as well. The EM Bypass-bound Ultadanga flank of the flyover has been closed for a while now.

There will be reinforcement with the help of iron beams to the pillars that have developed cracks, and new beams may have to be built. Since all this will take time, the government decided to go for a Bailey bridge immediately in order to avoid the constant traffic snarl that is affecting vehicle movement along the EM Bypass and airport bound traffic and those entering the city from the airport.

The bridge will take Rs 3 crore to be built and can be built within a week or slightly more.