The Chitpore bridge will remain closed to traffic from 6am on June 10 to 10pm on June 13 to facilitate a load test of the structure.

The importance of the Chitpore bridge has increased since the closure of the Tallah bridge, which was a key link between the city and the northern fringes, in 2019. The Tallah bridge has since been demolished and work on a new bridge has started.

The city police have prepared diversion plans for the period the Chirpore bridge will remain closed.

Vehicles plying down Central Avenue and heading for BT Road will be diverted from the Rajballavpara crossing through the Shyambazar five-point crossing, Belgachhia Road and Raja Manindra Road.

Vehicles headed for the city from BT Road will be diverted through the Lockgate flyover, PK Mukherjee Road and Bidhan Sarani. Vehicles heading towards the city from Cossipore Road will pass through the Cossipore bridge, PK Mukherjee Road, Shyambazar and Bidhan Sarani.

North-bound vehicles from Rabindra Sarani will be diverted through BK Pal Avenue, Central Avenue, JM Avenue, Bhupen Bose Avenue and Shyambazar.

“The Chitpore bridge has been bearing a lot of load since the closure of the Tallah bridge. It needs to undergo a load test,” said an officer of the traffic department.

“We have requested the CMDA to complete the test at the earliest. We want the work to be over before Covid curbs are relaxed and the number of vehicles on the roads increase.”