A new railway level crossing on a road that runs parallel to the Cossipore bridge has changed the direction of traffic flow from BT Road to Shyambazar and vice-versa from Tuesday.

Bagbazar-bound cars from BT Road are now taking the Lockgate flyover and BT Road-bound cars from Bagbazar are taking Cossipore Road and Khagen Chatterjee Road to reach Chiria More, the opposite of what was happening since the closure of the Tallah bridge for demolition.

Buses and other heavy vehicles that would earlier take the Lockgate flyover to reach BT Road are being diverted to the level crossing on Jagannath Ghat Road, a little known stretch that merges with Cossipore Road.

The road that runs across the new level crossing has been readied primarily for buses and trucks, said a police officer. There is no bar on car movement, though.

Police said the traffic rejig was aimed at providing more options to vehicles. Metro took multiple tours last week and again on Tuesday to understand the change and its possible impact.

How to reach the level crossing?

After travelling along Girish Avenue and crossing the Chitpore bridge, take a left turn to reach the level crossing. The level crossing is located on Jagannath Ghat Road, which moves northwards and merges with Cossipore Road. Buses and other heavy vehicles have to take the route via the level crossing compulsorily. Cars, too, can.

Who does it help?

Buses and other heavy vehicles the most. It also creates a second north-bound option for cars. Until the level crossing came into being, the heavy vehicles were using the Lockgate flyover and choking it.

The route on which the level crossing lies is slightly longer but it will have less congestion.

The Tuesday ride

It took The Telegraph two minutes from the left turn on Girish Avenue, in Bagbazar, to reach the point where Jagannath Ghat Road merges with Cossipore Road.

The gates at the level crossing were open. If the gates are down, it can take up to nine minutes.

“The wait at the level crossing will vary,” said a police officer. “The travel time from the left turn on Girish Avenue till the point where Jagannath Ghat Road merges with Cossipore Road can vary between 12 minutes and 14 minutes on a working day, depending on the number of lorries.”

Railway staff at the level crossing said the gates usually remained close for seven minutes for a train to pass.

Does it make the Bagbazar- BT Road trip shorter?

The distance does not vary much, but the travel is likely to be faster.

With buses and other heavy vehicles being diverted through the level crossing, cars can move faster from the Chitpore bridge to Cossipore Road and then take a right turn to reach BT Road via Khagen Chatterjee Road. “With the traffic being split between two roads, the movement is likely to be faster,” said the police officer.

“The travel time from Girish Avenue till the point where Khagen Chatterjee Road merges with BT Road (Chiria More) may vary between 15 and 20 minutes.”

Other options for BT Road-bound vehicles from Bagbazar

⚫With the level crossing now in place, cars can move straight from the Chitpore bridge down Cossipore Road and then take a right turn to Khagen Chatterjee Road and reach the Chiria More intersection on BT Road.

⚫Vehicles moving down the Belgachhia bridge can take Raja Manindra Road to reach the Paikpara crossing on BT Road.

⚫Vehicles from the Shyambazar five-point crossing can take Galiff Street to reach the Chitpore bridge and move down Cossipore Road or Jagannath Ghat Road.

Other options for Bagbazar-bound vehicles from BT Road

⚫Vehicles can move straight from Chiria More along BT Road and take the Lockgate flyover to reach the Chitpore bridge. The vehicles can then travel through Girish

Avenue towards Central Avenue or take a left turn to reach the Shyambazar five-point crossing via Bhupen Bose Avenue.

“The travel time will be reduced by at least half an hour on this new route,” said Sadhan Das, a bus owner. The old route was a long detour via Paikpara and Belgachhia.

⚫After coming down the Lockgate flyover, vehicles can turn left to take Prankrishna Mukherjee Road. This road takes vehicles right up to the approach to the Tallah bridge. A right turn from this point leads vehicles to the Shyambazar five-point crossing. “Vehicles that want to go towards APC Road from Shyambazar can take this route,” the officer said.

⚫Turn left from Chiria More to Dum Dum Road and then Northern Avenue to reach the Belgachhia bridge and the Shyambazar five-point crossing.

The changes

Roads repaired

Khagen Chatterjee Road, which was in dire straits, has been repaired. The road is now sturdy enough to handle the surge in traffic. “Earlier, a few cars used the road because of its poor condition. Now, all vehicles from Bagbazar headed to BT Road can take the road,” a motorist said.

The PWD has repaired the thoroughfare, a police officer said. The Calcutta Municipal Corporation has repaired Cossipore Road.

Police presence

Heavy police presence, almost at every crossing along both routes, ensured smooth traffic. Cops were present on narrow stretches, even on the median line on the Belgachhia bridge. They did not allow any vehicle to jump the line. So, vehicles moved unhindered.

Roadside parking and autos removed

Earlier, vehicles used to be parked by the side of Cossipore Road, reducing the road space. On Tuesday, this newspaper did not find any vehicle parked by the roadside. Vehicles had ample space to move smoothly.

At Chiria More, cops have created a lane for autos so that they do not stop wherever they feel like.

The Telegraph