120-hour-long closure of Chingrighata flyover begins tonight | See alternate routes

The long-delayed Orange Line of the Kolkata Metro network has finally picked up immense momentum with the execution of its critical structural phase. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the executing agency for the Kabi Subhash–Kolkata Airport Metro corridor, has initiated the final phase of girder installation over the bustling Chingrighata intersection. To facilitate this complex engineering task safely, the regional transport department and metro authorities have jointly announced a strategic, phase-wise temporary closure of the Chingrighata flyover over two consecutive weekends.

The heavy infrastructure work is scheduled to take place in two separate blocks, accumulation to a total of 120 hours of traffic suspension. The first phase of the closure will commence tonight, Friday, at 8:00 PM and will continue until 8:00 AM on Monday. Following a brief restoration of normal weekday traffic, the second phase will similarly shutter the flyover from 8:00 PM on Friday, July 3, until 8:00 AM on Monday, July 6. This rigorous blueprint has been fast-tracked following a recent ground inspection by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, ensuring zero loose ends in structural safety.

Technically, the operation centers around launching massive steel girders to link the elevated viaduct with the upcoming Gaur Kishore Ghosh Metro Station. During the initial 60-hour weekend block, engineering teams will construct the spans between pillars 325 and 326 right above the point where the flyover descends towards Sukanta Nagar. The subsequent weekend block will focus on pillars 326 and 327 to lock down the alignment. The rapid execution comes after nearly two and a half years of complete administrative deadlock during the previous regime, which had severely bottlenecked city commuters.

To manage the heavy volume of vehicles headed towards Sector Five and Salt Lake during these block periods, the Kolkata Traffic Police has laid out extensive diversion maps. Commuters and commercial vehicles routing through the EM Bypass will be diverted through alternative channels via Beleghata Main Road and designated Salt Lake entry lanes. With the metro corporation aiming to formally inaugurate commercial services from Kabi Subhash to New Town by December, overnight shifts have been deployed to ensure the project meets its winter deadline.