Calcutta: The government is considering building two temporary roads parallel to the fallen Majerhat bridge, across the canal and the railway tracks, to ease the traffic congestion in parts of Behala and New Alipore since Tuesday's cave-in.

Police and PWD engineers have zeroed in on Raja Santosh Road, which now runs along a stretch of the eastern edge of the Majerhat bridge, past the bungalows of Calcutta Port Trust officials, before veering further east.

If extended southwards across the canal and the tracks, it can carry Behala-bound traffic from Ekbalpore and Burdwan Road further south towards the Mint.

Discussions are on to ascertain whether another road can be built to the west of the collapsed bridge to connect Ekbalpore-bound traffic from the south to Durgapur Siding Road, which meets Diamond Harbour Road near the Keventer Agro Limited factory.

Since Friday, the PWD has carried out a series of surveys on either side of the Majerhat bridge. A meeting has been convened at Nabanna on Monday to discuss the feasibility of the proposed road corridors.

Senior officials from Eastern Railway and the Port Trust will attend the meeting along with traffic police officers.

Sources said that if the go-ahead comes from the railways and the Port Trust, both of which must relinquish a portion of their land for the proposed roads, the government might consider extending Raja Santosh Road up to Diamond Harbour Road near the Mint. Another road could be built from the Mint-end.

Both will be concrete roads. The idea is to build culverts across the canal, engineers said, but if that proves time-consuming, huge steel pipes could be laid over the canal to allow vehicles to cross it.

The railways would need to build level crossings on either of the new roads.

A senior official at Nabanna said the state government was keen on completing the roads within the next four weeks so that they can be thrown open ahead of the Puja. Once the Majerhat bridge is repaired, these roads may be abandoned, sources said.

"Extending the roads on either side of the Majerhat bridge would require the acquisition of some land from the railways and the Port Trust. We have already had a round of initial talks with the railways," a senior PWD official said.

"If both central government agencies agree to the proposal, we will draw up the final plan, fixing the road width and other details."

Preliminary surveys suggest the railways may need to remove a few structures on either side to make way for the proposed concrete roads.

"The railways might even have to relocate their signalling system.... We are hopeful that all of it can be done within four weeks," an official said.

Railway spokesperson Rabi Mahapatra said that if the state government sought "any assistance to deal with an emergency situation, we would definitely forward it to the Railway Board".

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