In cities across the world, the road to the airport is a priority corridor where vehicles can move freely. In Calcutta though, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue or VIP Road, as it is more popularly known, does not allow fast vehicular movement between Ultadanga and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. Several intersections have improved the road’s connectivity but crippled its ability to serve as the main link to the airport. VIP Road also lacks basic facilities like a smooth surface and street lights. Metro took a ride from the airport to Ultadanga on Friday night to check out the problem points.

Street lights

About 30 per cent of VIP Road does not have street lights. Four stretches on the the eight kilometres between airport and Ultadanga crossing — starting at Teghoria —do not have lights. A number of lights were malfunctioning.

The worst was the Lake Town to Ultadanga stretch (1.5 km). It was pitch dark. The street lights for both flanks of the road were not working.

“You will find pedestrians, autorickshaws, cycles and even cycle-rickshaws on VIP Road. And there are no lights. Driving slowly is a problem on this stretch,” said Munna Singh, a taxi driver.

While the public works department (electrical) is in charge of maintaining the street lights, the power is provided by CESC and West Bengal State Electricity Development Corporation Ltd.

The advertisements on the lamp posts were lit even where the main lights were out.

Road condition

Those on cars with the best shock absorbers would find VIP Road bumpy and unbecoming of an arterial road connecting a metro city to its lone functioning airport.

Potholes and craters are all too common on certain sections, where the average vehicular speed is barely 30 km per hour. The pathway is badly damaged near airport gate No. 1, Teghoria, Raghunathpur and between Kestopur and Baguiati.

“One cannot possibly drive freely on this road,” said a biker.

Intersections

The lack of traffic planning is perhaps the biggest problem on VIP Road. With housing estates coming up on both sides of the road, there are as many as 11 intersections — more than one per kilometre — slowing down traffic.

“Everyone flouts traffic norms on VIP Road. Pedestrians walk on the main thoroughfare in some places. Baguiati is a nightmare when one is late for a flight,” complained Anadi Banerjee, who works for a BPO in Hyderabad.

Solution

According to a study by Bhargab Maitra, an associate professor at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, the rise in population along VIP Road has led to a situation where there are more vehicles on the corridor than it can accommodate.

Here’s how the traffic glut can be handled:

Road maintenance: The carriageway must be smooth. There should be proper lighting on the entire stretch with clear road signs.

Service roads and flyovers: Service roads on both sides of VIP Road, with acceleration and deceleration lanes, will improve safety and mobility. Flyovers can help avoid congestion at intersections.

Proper policing: Enforcement of traffic rules is essential. Cycle-rickshaws are banned on VIP Road but they ply on the stretch throughout the day. Jaywalkers and buses flout traffic norms regularly.

The road is not manned by the traffic police after 10pm. The highway patrol system that takes over needs improvement.