There are at least seven gaps for pedestrians in the median divider on the EM Bypass-Prince Anwar Shah Road connector in the southern suburbs, which are not only unscientific but also pose a threat to motorists driving down the busy thoroughfare, officers from East Jadavpur have written to senior officers of Kolkata police in Lalbazar.
The officers of East Jadavpur have requested that these gaps be closed as soon as possible.
Almost all these gaps are located between 25 and 50 metres ahead of traffic signals and serve no purpose other than helping residents cross the thoroughfare at their convenience, officers said.
“There are close to a dozen of such gaps or cut-outs ahead of traffic signals on Prince Anwar Shah Road and out of these the seven are located at Sapuipara, Gangulypukur, Purbachal and Mondalpara and should be immediately closed,” said a senior officer of East Jadavpur traffic guard.
Traffic engineering experts said such gaps ahead of traffic signals cause serious distractions to motorists and can result in accidents if the driver is not alert or driving at high speed.
Senior officers in Lalbazar said they would consult engineers from the road division of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and try work out a date for a joint inspection of the stretch.
“Around six months back, one such gap on the Prince Anwar Shah Road Connector was shut following a joint inspection. We would urge KMC engineers to give us a date for a joint inspection again,” said a senior officer in Lalbazar.
Since its inauguration in March 2007, the Prince Anwar Shah Road connector in the southeastern suburb of the city used to be a quiet stretch.
There were several vacant plots on either side of the road, which were dotted with encroachers.
Over the years, the urban development department worked in collaboration with the KMC in removing encroachments, including makeshift garages, shops and even a few buildings that had cropped up along parts of Mondalpara and Sahidnagar to create space for two-way traffic movement.
“Most of these gaps on the connector were created following demands from a section of residents several decades back when the traffic volume was not that high and people wanted easy access from one side of the road to another,” said a senior engineer with the KMDA.
The thoroughfare used to be under the supervision of police of the Jadavpur traffic guard till senior officers realised the traffic along the Anwar Shah Road Connector — and its adjoining areas —was growing exponentially and East Jadavpur traffic guard was set up in 2019.
Over the next few years, this stretch has emerged as the main artery for motorists who want to reach EM Bypass parts of Garia, Tollygunge, Jadavpur and Lake Gardens.
“The cross-over of residents continues throughout the day and makes it very difficult to drive through the stretch,” said Ajay Prasad, a resident of Tollygunge.