Friday’s accident near the Kestopur crossing triggered a massive traffic snarl on VIP Road. Vehicular movement came to a standstill for over two hours on what is the most vital link between Dum Dum airport and the city. Though one flank was kept open, smooth traffic flow could not be resumed till night.

The airport-bound flank of VIP Road was blocked immediately after the accident around 2.20pm. Vehicles headed both ways used the Ultadanga flank.

“We found it difficult to make both up and down vehicles ply on a single flank,” said a traffic police officer.

As the condition became increasingly chaotic, around 6pm, barricades were put up on the Ultadanga-bound flank of VIP Road near Kaikhali. “All vehicles coming from the airport and heading for the city were diverted along Rajarhat New Town Road, while those heading for the airport were diverted to the northern flank from Dum Dum Park and then again back to the airport-bound flank at the Baguiati crossing,” said the officer.

“A bumper-to-bumper snarl had developed till Lake Town, before we decided to divert vehicular movement from Dum Dum Park. Airport-bound commuters had no alternative route to reach their destination,” said an officer of the Baguiati traffic guard.

By then, many had suffered long enough. “Traffic movement should have been regulated from the Lake Town crossing. Vehicles should have been diverted either towards Jessore Road or again towards Ultadanga to take the EM Bypass and New Town Road to reach the airport and other parts of North 24-Parganas,” said Rameshwar Jana, sweating in his car caught in the snarl for over three hours.

An officer of the Baguiati traffic guard argued that rescue operations on the airport-bound flank made their work difficult. “The delayed arrival of the rescue teams from the district administration made matters worse,” he said.