Police have asked the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) to regularly clean the Parama flyover of dust and items like nails, plastics and sharp objects so vehicles don’t develop snags and bring traffic to a halt.

The 7.5km stretch between EM Bypass in the east and AJC Bose Road in the west is the busiest flyover in the city.

“On average, at least six or seven vehicles develop snags on the flyover daily, disrupting traffic flow. A sudden tyre puncture is the most common problem that motorists face,” said a senior traffic officer.

“We have asked the KMDA to clean the road surface regularly to prevent such incidents so that nails or other sharp items are not on the carriageway,” the officer said.

On Friday morning, the police had to tow away a car that developed a snag on the flyover, near the Viswakarma building. Officers said the car stopped on the flank that brings vehicles from EM Bypass towards Park Circus after a tyre puncture. The morning traffic on the flyover was hit till the car was removed from the spot on the flyover and the passage cleared.

This was the day’s first. There were at least four more instances where vehicles had to be removed from the flyover after they came to a halt following a breakdown, officers said.

On Thursday, traffic headed towards the Park Circus seven-point crossing was partly hit after a car developed a snag in the morning. Later during the day, another car came to a halt, this time at a spot near the Parama flyover-AJC Bose Road link ramp slowing down traffic headed towards EM Bypass, the police said.

Officers handling traffic said when expensive and high-end cars stop because of technical failures, including a brake malfunction or other mechanical problems, it becomes difficult to tow them away because the tyres stop rotating.

“We need to lift the four wheels using a platform and then get it towed away by a vehicle. All this takes time and the flow of vehicles is hit on the flyover,” said a senior officer overseeing traffic in and around the Park Circus seven-point crossing.

Senior officers in Lalbazar said close to 60,000 vehicles use the Parama flyover during the day making it a favourite among motorists because of the lack of traffic signals.

“We have stationed four tow-away vehicles through the length of the flyover for quick intervention. But every time a car develops a snag, it affects the flow of traffic. We want to reduce this by ensuring the road is thoroughly cleaned,” the officer said.

Senior officials in the urban development department — KMDA is under it — said an agency has been engaged for sweeping and cleaning the flyover through a tender that was floated in February.

“The engineers ensure that the carriageway of the Parama flyover is cleaned regularly. But it remains a challenge given the number of vehicles that use the flyover every day,” a senior official of the department said.