Calcutta, Sep 4 (Agencies): A portion of the ageing Majerhat bridge on Diamond Harbour Road in south Calcutta collapsed on Tuesday afternoon, and many casualties are feared. 

The bridge, built in the mid-1960s to carry road traffic over the Budge Budge to Sealdah suburban railway line, is critical for all heavy traffic bound for Diamond Harbour in the state’s extreme south, and Budge Budge in the southwest.

Fire brigade, police and the National Disaster Response Force were trying to rescue those trapped.

Till evening, the twitter handle of the city’s traffic police blandly mentioned the traffic diversions, without stating the bridge collapse.

DCP Traffic Kolkata twitter handle mentioned the collapse at 6.30pm.

Daily, thousands of cars and buses from Behala and the south and south western suburbs use the bridge. The alternative is the already congested New Alipore’s roads, or the potholed Hide Road and Taratala Road.

Images on twitter indicated that a slab of the bridge simply fell down together with at least four private cars and a Behala-Rabindranagar minibus.

The suburban railway tracks were spared.

A metro railway line linking Joka, home to the country’s first Indian Institute of Management, and the city’s business district BBD Bag, is being built right next to Majerhat Bridge.

When complete, Majerhat will become an important interchange point for commuters.

Heavy rains had lashed the city on Tuesday.

Traffic update:-
As Majherhat Bridge collapsed for
1. North ward journey avail Hastings -> CGR -> Taratala and
2. Southward journey DH Road-> Taratala ->CGR Road .

— DCP Traffic Kolkata (@KPTrafficDept) September 4, 2018

Traffic update:-
DH Road towards Majherhat Bridge is closed to traffic from NR Avenue. Necessary diversions are on.

— DCP Traffic Kolkata (@KPTrafficDept) September 4, 2018

 

Traffic update:-
DH Road towards Taratala is closed to traffic from Diamond Park and Sakher Bazar. Necessary diversions are on.

— DCP Traffic Kolkata (@KPTrafficDept) September 4, 2018

Traffic update:-
DH Road is closed to traffic from CGR Road.

— DCP Traffic Kolkata (@KPTrafficDept) September 4, 2018

 

Traffic update:-
DH Road is closed to traffic from Ekbalpore Crossing.

— DCP Traffic Kolkata (@KPTrafficDept) September 4, 2018

 

Traffic update:-
Alipore Road is closed to traffic from Judges Court Road.

— DCP Traffic Kolkata (@KPTrafficDept) September 4, 2018