Chingrighata Viaduct in Kalküta Closed for 60 Hours Due to Metro Work

The Chingrighata viaduct, a major transportation route in the capital city of Kalküta, located in India's Batı Bengal state, is being closed to traffic for three days as part of metro construction works. According to an official announcement issued by the Kalküta Traffic Police, vehicular traffic over the viaduct will be completely halted starting from 20.00 on Friday, 10 Temmuz. This comprehensive closure will continue until 08.00 on Monday, 13 Temmuz, meaning it will last for an uninterrupted total of 60 hours. Authorities state that this mandatory closure will allow for the completion of a critical phase essential for the construction of the metro line.

The said traffic closure decision was taken due to a segment launch operation to be carried out within the scope of the new "Orange Line" project of the Kalküta Metro. This technical process is a highly sensitive engineering activity that requires the assembly and placement of massive prefabricated pieces of the viaduct sections of the new metro line. The Kalküta Traffic Police emphasized that completely evacuating the underpass is a strict requirement to safely complete this large-scale construction operation and to prevent potential workplace accidents. In a statement from the traffic department, it was expressed that this work is a critical step in completing the metro line extending from the city center to the New Town area.

Due to the viaduct becoming unusable, the Kalküta Traffic Police determined alternative routes for drivers and issued a detailed directive. Accordingly, northbound vehicles that normally use the Chingrighata viaduct to travel to the Salt Lake area must use different roads. Traffic authorities directed drivers to follow the Broadways route via Beliaghata Main Road and the Bypass intersection. Additional traffic police officers have been assigned so that these alternative routes can handle the heavy traffic load, and special measures are planned to regulate the flow at intersections. Police teams warned drivers to plan their trips in advance and avoid these areas as much as possible so as not to get caught in heavy traffic.

Kalküta Metro officials announced that they are working determinedly to operationalize the metro service from Kabi Subhash station on the Orange Line to the New Town area by December. To achieve this ambitious goal, construction activities are being carried out almost at war speed and day and night in different sections of the corridor. The biggest reason behind this transportation project, which is of great importance to city residents, being subject to delays was political tensions. Severe political struggles and disagreements within the ruling TMC (Trinamool Congress) party, which lasted for about two and a half years, had caused a complete halt to all infrastructure works, including metro construction in the Chingrighata area.

Following the intense power struggles among political cadres and the changes in the region's administration, the obstacles were finally overcome, and RVNL (Rail Vikas Nigam Limited) was granted permission to resume work. To make up for the lost time, the RVNL company sped up the project and began progressing the construction work rapidly. After overcoming these political and bureaucratic crises, the construction of the metro line is approaching its final stages. Authorities and city planners state that while this 60-hour closure at the Chingrighata viaduct is a short-term difficulty for the city, it is a necessary sacrifice for the swift completion of the metro line, which will provide the local community with a modern and rapid public transportation option.