Traffic congestion has worsened around Chingrihata ever since work began on Metro pier 319 about a week ago.
The pier is part of the New Garia-Airport Metro that will have to bend right into Salt Lake from around the Jal Vayu Vihar residency.
The traffic department of Kolkata Police had conducted a five-day long trial using diversions and finally granted permission to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, the implementing agency of the Metro corridor, to block traffic here for 75 days starting from February 28.
So now the flank from EM Bypass towards Nicco Park is shut to traffic and construction work is taking place at the mouth of the street. Cars approaching the township from the Science City-end of town are not affected as they are taking the Chingrihata flyover above this flank.
Those affected are vehicles approaching from the Ultadanga side intending to take a left from Chingrihata. These cars are now having to take the parallel street just before the Eastern Drainage Canal, crossing Jal Vayu Vihar (JVV) residency in Sector III.
This diversion is creating congestion on this street, that is wide enough only for a single lane in and out of Salt Lake. The gate of JVV, being very close to the EM Bypass, is getting choked during rush hour, with residents being unable to take their own cars out during rush hour.
Jostling for space
A couple of traffic policemen posted at this junction confessed their work had got more stressful since the flank got cordoned off. “Neither drivers nor pedestrians have patience, which is a must in a situation like this. There have been a few skirmishes already and we have been penalising the offenders,” said a policeman who has been posted here a few times over the past week.
The JVV road can only support a single lane either way but cars have been trying to overtake even there. On Monday evening The Telegraph Salt Lake witnessed two such incidents where cars headed out of Salt Lake had forced their way into the inbound lane that was relatively empty. Before long these cars were head-on with vehicles coming in from the opposite side. The chaos led to a pile-up of cars behind and took several minutes to clear out.
The Beleghata traffic guard constables at the diversion point confirmed that the rush is still more outward — towards EM Bypass — in the evening. “The reason is that people from Dum Dum and beyond have figured out this is a faster way to reach the city than VIP Road, Ultadanga etc. even if the distance is greater,” he said. “So it’s not just techies from Sector V going home at this hour but much of east Kolkata using New Town and Salt Lake for a quicker detour to south or central Kolkata.”
Another problem they have noticed is that cars that are unaware of the new diversion are speeding by the service road opening and trying to enter Salt Lake Bypass. “These cars are being stopped but are not allowed to do a U-turn on the spot as that would lead to more chaos,” he said. “Instead, they are being directed forward along the Bypass to make a U-turn at Bypass Dhaba and take the overbridge into Sector IV like other north-bound cars. This is reducing load on the service road.”
As for the closed flank on Salt Lake Bypass, autos are the only vehicles there now. “We have always had our auto stand here at Chingrihata and luckily, it’s not affected by the Metro work,” said Bipi Das, a driver on the Chingrihata-SDF building (Sector V) route.
“If anything, it has become more convenient for us as have the entire road to ourselves.”
Sector V-bound passengers said they were not affected either.
Choked gate
The long sufferers are residents of JVV, who have been asked to compromise ever since the Metro authorities decided to build Pier number 322 at the entrance of their complex some 10 years ago.
“Besides encroaching on our space, it gave rise to traffic congestion that we are still living with. And the Metro workers dump their waste in the canal, that has become a breeding ground of mosquitoes,” said Bijoy Narayan Choudhury, secretary of Jal Vayu Vihar co-operative housing society that was started by navy and air force employees.
They have been shooting out letters to the authorities seeking relief from the traffic congestion and mosquito menace for years but scarce little has been done.
“We’ve been writing to the councilor, the corporation, and the police. We want a traffic guard outside our gate. There is one nearby but it is under Kolkata police and we are not under their jurisdiction,” said Choudhury. “We also want permission for our cars to exit from our rear gate and join the EM Bypass using the service road in front of Techno India DAMA Healthcare & Medical Centre. The road is now one-way. We want two-way permission to use that.”
Swapna Roy, who has been living at the complex since 2012, says relatives are flatly refusing to visit them on weekdays due to the traffic. “As for the mosquito menace, we have to shut our windows by afternoon,” she said. Residents were seen wearing full-sleeved clothes even in the heat to escape bites.
The Bidhannagar traffic guard did not entertain their demands, when spoken to on Wednesday. “It is not possible to post guard at gates of every office or complex. Police are posted at the start of the road and they are enough to do the needful. Lane divisions have also been created. If JVV residents have a problem, they can come and speak to us.”
