If Puja means a rush to shop, followed by pandal-hopping, this year’s festive run-up has also brought on a rush to open bridges and flyovers.

Officials of the Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) said work was on in full swing to make at least four bridges operational before Puja. Metro takes stock.

Bridge to the west of Tolly Club

The 25m-long bridge across Tolly’s Nullah will benefit residents of New Alipore, Mahabirtala and Behala.

The bridge starts from near the western boundary of Tolly Club and will connect Izzatullah Lane, which falls to the right while going towards Tollygunge Metro station from the Tollygunge Phari crossing, and BL Saha Road.

CMDA engineers said commuters who take the Durgapur bridge can use the new bridge to reach Tollygunge or take Anwar Shah Road.

Behala and New Alipore residents headed towards Salt Lake can take Prince Anwar Shah Road to reach the Bypass.

The 7.5m-wide two-lane bridge would allow two-way traffic.

Bridge in Tollygunge Karunamoyee

This bridge also runs across Tolly’s Nullah, near the eastern boundary of Tolly Club.

The 45m-long bridge will connect Narendranath Ghosh Lane and MG Road. It will carry one-way traffic and have a footpath for pedestrians.

The bridge will benefit residents of Siriti, parts of Behala and also MG Road, a police officer said.

The pressure on the Tollygunge Karunamoyee crossing is likely to ease.

Many commuters from Behala have been using Tollygunge Karunamoyee after the collapse of the Majerhat bridge in September last year.

Bailey bridge across Kestopur canal

Following the closure of the Bypass-bound flank of the VIP Road-EM Bypass flyover, the CMDA decided to build a Bailey bridge near Golaghata for Bypass-bound vehicles from VIP Road.

The foundation for the bridge is ready, so is the abutment on which it would be laid, a CMDA official said.

“Engineers and officials of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers have promised to complete work within a fortnight,” said the official.

The 42.672m one-way bridge starts from near the Lake Town footbridge on VIP Road and cross the Kestopur canal to land in Salt Lake.

EM Bypass-VIP Road flyover’s closed flank

The flank was closed in July after a crack was noticed in

one of the piers holding the span above the Kestopur canal. CMDA engineers also found problems in some other parts of the flyover.

“Repairs are on. We hope to throw open the flank before Puja,” said the CMDA official.

The two-lane flank takes off from VIP Road and ends near Salt Lake gate bus stop on EM Bypass.