Kolkata: The construction of the remaining piers for one of the busiest stretches on Kona Expressway Flyover, near Nabanna, will begin during Durga Puja. The six-lane flyover, which is expected to ease congestion by creating an additional corridor, is scheduled for completion by Dec 2027.Kona Expressway, Kolkata’s gateway to much of south and north Bengal, has witnessed a manifold increase in traffic. Amrit Lal Sahu, project director, Kolkata, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) — the implementing agency of the project — said they wanted to proceed fast with the foundation work of the piers during Durga Puja as the traffic volume would be less during that time. The flyover, set to take off from Football Gate, near Nabanna, will end at Nibra where Kona Expressway meets NH-16 (Dankuni-Kharagpur road).The stretch near Football Gate has heavy traffic movement on weekdays.“The construction work on the flyover has witnessed 40 per cent progress so far. It will have 221 piers, of which foundation for 175 have been laid,” said an official from NHAI. The project cost has increased to Rs 1,300 crore from Rs 1,212 crore. “The project cost was revised because of change in scope of work. We are now having three tiers of roads (including two flyovers) at Santragachhi Railway Station Crossing. It will leave more space for pedestrian crossover,” said an NHAI official.“There will be two ends of the flyover: one on the road leading to Kolaghat and the other on the road towards Singur. Both will have up and down ramps,” added the NHAI official. Another official said the highways authority has already completed the road widening work on the 1-km stretch between Football Gate and Betor as part of the three-tier scheme, which will have the road as well as two tiers of flyovers near Santragachi Railway Station Crossing, each for commuters headed to different destinations, as part of the same project.“Above the widened road, there will be a 150-m flyover, right after the Santragachi rail overbridge, that is meant for local traffic and buses,” said the official.The top tier of this scheme is meant for heavy vehicles and others on long-distance journeys, who do not need to halt on Kona Expressway.
