A stretch on New Park Street that will get the median divider
Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will construct permanent median dividers, topped with iron railings, along the congested stretches of New Park Street and Circus Avenue, which led to Park Circus 7-Point crossing and Maa Flyover. The stretch on Circus Avenue starts from its intersection at the Park Circus 7-Point crossing and extends till the base of the ramp descending from the AJC Bose Road Flyover. The other stretch on New Park Street spans from the 7-Point Crossing to the starting point of the MAA Flyover.
The safety infrastructure project is being taken up after a formal request was made by the joint commissioner of police (Traffic), Kolkata Police, considering several fatal accidents that had occurred due to frequent illegal crossovers this year. The move aims to curb jaywalking and prevent road accidents on these stretches. The KMC has initiated the tender process for installation of the median dividers. The project will cover two crucial stretches.
Imran Khan, a local commuter, who regularly navigates through the Park Circus 7-Point roundabout, approved of the police’s flexible lane plan. In addition to these permanent structures, police sources confirmed that flexible guard rails would be deployed as and when necessary to carve out an extra lane on the opposite flank of New Park Street to tackle peak-hour traffic volume effectively.
The tender evaluation for the proposed construction is currently underway, according to KMC officials. “Crossing these roads during peak traffic hours in the mornings is an absolute nightmare,” said Ramesh Sharma, a shop owner, who operates near Circus Avenue. In addition, iron railings on median dividers will make movement smooth and safe,” Khan said.
Work orders will be issued soon. Traffic police officials highlighted that both these stretches are vital for movement of thousands of commuters. Local residents and daily commuters have welcomed the move, noting that violations caused by pedestrians and reckless jaywalking have turned the busy stretches into high-risk zones since long. “Pedestrians often step over low medians or try to cross the road by dodging speeding cars from the curb. Just a few months ago, we witnessed a fatal accident right near the flyover ramp. A sturdy iron railing is needed to ensure that pedestrians are compelled to use the crossings,” he added. Tariq Hussain, a resident living near the New Park Street stretch, emphasised on the relief that the new barriers would bring to drivers. “Motorists driving towards the MAA Flyover often face sudden jaywalkers. Permanent medians with high railings will bring order to the chaos and drastically bring down fatal crashes,” he remarked. “Creating an additional lane on New Park Street using extra guard rails during congestion will help clear bottlenecking near the MAA Flyover approach road.
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Work on the stretches is expected to begin after the civil tenders are finalised by the KMC, said sources. Download the TOI App.