The government has zeroed in on the southward extension of Alipore Avenue till Humayun Kabir Sarani in New Alipore as the only new road to connect Behala and Alipore.

The decision came after the railways agreed to a build a level crossing at this point and rejected the plan for another crossing for a similar road to the west of Alipore Avenue, running almost parallel to the collapsed Majerhat bridge.

The new road will cut through trees, Chetla canal and two pairs of railway tracks to connect Alipore Avenue to Humayun Kabir Sarani.

It will help Calcutta-bound vehicles from Behala to reach Raja Santosh Road.

The southward extension of Alipore Avenue will meet Block G in New Alipore from where it would move some 600m to connect to Humayun Kabir Sarani.

The railways have told Nabanna that they would need around two months to come up with the level crossings on either side of Alipore Avenue.

The plan for another level crossing has been rejected on “technical grounds”.

The railways has said the distance between the “starter and advanced signals” at Majerhat is “too short for a level crossing” based on standard safety rules, an official in Nabanna said.

The government had sent a letter to railway bosses on Wednesday requesting them to rethink about the other level crossing.

There are a few stations in the Budge Budge-Sealdah section where level crossings are close to the station, some Nabanna officials said.

On Thursday, the railways explained to the government why the other one was not possible.

“The level crossing on the southward extension of Alipore Avenue is still feasible. We have informed the Bengal government that it would have to bear the expense for this structure provided the commissioner for railway safety gives the final clearance,” an official of the Eastern Railway’s civil engineering wing said.

“The bridges will come up six metres off the tracks on either side in keeping with the standard safety rules. A lodge has to be built for the gateman who will operate the gates.”

Primarily it has been decided that two Bailey bridges on the canal will allow traffic movement on two lanes before reaching the level crossings on either side. After crossing over from Humayun Kabir Sarani, to the east of which stands BP Poddar Hospital in New Alipore, all vehicles will cross the tracks, take the Bailey bridge and reach Alipore Avenue to move up north either towards Kidderpore or towards Burdwan Road.

Small vehicles from parts of Behala and even New Alipore will be directed down this new road during the morning rush hour. In the evening the flow may be reversed, the police said.

“If small vehicles take this road, buses and minibuses can be directed down Hyde Road,” an officer said.