SKIP ULTADANGA, ENTER SALT LAKE FROM VIP ROAD 

A new entry point to Salt Lake from Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue (VIP Road) will be opened soon. Located near Baguiati, it will be the only motorable entry point to the township from VIP Road. A new bridge over the Keshtopur canal and two approach roads will be built. The Rs 45 lakh project will be implemented by the CMDA, Rajarhat Municipality and Salt Lake Authority. The bridge will be built by the CMDA and the two approach roads by the municipalities. "Work has started and it is expected to be completed within a year. The new roads and bridge will improve communication between Salt Lake and its neighbouring areas through VIP Road,'' said Dilip Gupta, Salt Lake Municipality chairman. There are five entry-exit points at Salt Lake, all along the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. An entry-exit point on VIP Road at Lake Town is only for pedestrians. As there is no motorable entry point along VIP Road, traffic from the airport side can get into Salt Lake only through Ultadanga, even though the township starts from across the canal at Keshtopur. The new roads will cut short this detour of around 10 to 15 km. There are also three temporary footbridges that are used by a large number of people. The bridges, on bamboo stilts, are unsafe but pedestrians still use them for short cuts. The new route will start near Baisakhee and terminate at Keshtopur after crossing the bridge. From Keshtopur, a new one-km road will connect it with VIP Road. Traffic from the airport, Kaikhali, Baguiati, Dum Dum Park, Bangur and Lake Town can easily enter Salt Lake by the new route, that will help save both time and fuel. It takes at least 15 minutes by car to reach EM Bypass from the airport and another five minutes to reach Salt Lake stadium. The distance to the stadium from the airport will be halved after the Keshtopur link is complete. "Our aim is to ease traffic congestion at the Ultadanga crossing and increase communication between Salt Lake and other areas. We have built a slip road near Ultadanga to facilitate traffic headed for Salt Lake and the Bypass. Congestion will be eased further after the new roadbridge is built,''said urban development minister Ashok Bhattacharya.