A waterlogged stretch on VIP Road
TOI had reported earlier this week that repeated waterlogging on the route had also slowed the movement of chief minister Suvendu Adhikari’s convoy towards his Chinar Park residence during the monsoon, prompting the police to create the opening as an immediate traffic-management measure.
A Bidhannagar Traffic Police officer said personnel had been deployed at key junctions to manage the situation and prevent further gridlock. Instead of taking a U-turn near Haldirams Crossing and entering the flooded service lane, vehicles along the airport bound flank could use the cut to make a direct right turn towards Chinar Park. As the rain intensified, the situation deteriorated further on VIP Road and the Chinar Park stretch, both key approaches to the airport. Police personnel were deployed at several points, with some having to wade through water to regulate traffic and advise motorists to avoid the worst-affected stretches. By evening, water had receded from portions of the main carriageway. But several service lanes remained inundated.
The new median cut, introduced by Bidhannagar Police on Thursday, provided an alternative for vehicles heading towards Chinar Park.