Traffic congestion continued on the Ultadanga-bound flank of VIP Road on Wednesday, forcing police to temporarily reopen the slip bridge leading to EM Bypass to cars and other light vehicles.

The bridge was closed to traffic on Tuesday to facilitate construction of a flyover at the Ultadanga intersection. This led to massive traffic snarls. The plan was to re-open the slip bridge in December.

“We had to allow light vehicles like cars and two-wheelers to move through a portion of the slip bridge to ease the massive traffic jam on Durgapur Bridge leading to Ultadanga crossing. Like Tuesday, the snarl would have been longer if we did not divert the lighter vehicles,” said an officer of Lake Town traffic guard.

According to him, the diversion was an emergency measure and commuters have to put up with traffic chaos till the slip bridge is opened to all forms of traffic.

“The number of vehicles is increasing abruptly during the peak hours in the morning and evening. It is impossible for so many vehicles to pass through the Ultadanga crossing,” added the official.

There were also snarls on the airport-bound flank of VIP Road since Tuesday evening. These were caused by “haphazard movement of vehicles near Kestopur crossing”, said a traffic officer.

Residents of the area blamed the people appointed by the Rajarhat-Gopalpur municipality to control traffic on the stretch till 11pm.

“Around 9.30pm on Tuesday, the jam at Kestopur stretched to Dum Dum Park but those who were supposed to man the traffic were absent,” said Arumesh Dutta, who took about 30 minutes to drive from Kestopur to Narayantala.