The AJC Bose Road flyover, set to get twin arms in another two years. A Telegraph picture

A nod from chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and an assurance on funds from the Centre has prompted the transport department to start the process of building four ramps on the AJC Bose Road and Park Street flyovers and on Vidyasagar Setu.

?We have been asked by the government to start building the ramps, as funds will be made available,? said Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners (HRBC) vice-chairman Sadhan Banerjee.

?We have invited bids from consultants to prepare a feasibility report and a detailed project report. The formalities are likely to be completed in two months,? he added.

The ramps are scheduled to be ready in two years.

Engineers had observed that the purpose of building the flyovers ? easing congestion on arterial roads in the vicinity ? would be defeated if the ramps were not set up. In the absence of ramps, vehicles on the high lane have to cross the entire length of it before approaching another road.

The transport department, however, could not go ahead with building the ramps because of paucity of funds.

According to the new arrangement, 75 per cent of the cost for setting up the four ramps (Rs 210 crore) will be borne by the Centre, under the National Urban Renewal Mission, and the rest by HRBC.

Of the four, two will be built on the AJC Bose Road flyover and one each at the Park Street flyover and Vidyasagar Setu. One ramp on the AJC Bose Road flyover will lead to Mullickbazar and the other to Sarat Bose Road.

The Park Street ramp will enable motorists to approach Mayo Road and the one at Vidyasagar Setu will link Foreshore Road to the bridge.

HRBC officials said the ramps on the AJC Bose Road and Park Street flyovers would be one-way, leading from the bridge, while the one at Vidyasagar Setu will be two-way.

The cost for the AJC Bose Road ramps has been estimated at Rs 120 crore, for the Park Street ramp at Rs 20 crore and Vidyasagar Setu at Rs 70 crore.

The government has sent a list of projects, worth Rs 1,100 crore, to the Centre for funds under the Urban Renewal Mission. ?Going by the norms, we are likely to get around Rs 1,200 crore in five years. Funds will be disbursed on the basis of schemes. We will send a detailed project report on the ramps to Delhi,? an official said.

The chief minister, he added, has given his nod to the ramps project and asked officials to prioritise the rest.