Sodepur flyover to shut every weekend from July 19 for urgent structural repairs

The Sodepur flyover in North 24 Parganas will remain completely closed to traffic every weekend starting July 19 due to structural repairs. The 33-year-old flyover has developed serious faults in its bearings, prompting the Public Works Department (PWD) to undertake urgent repair work. The closure will be in place from Friday night to Monday morning each week. During this period, both heavy and light vehicles will be diverted via designated alternative routes.

According to officials, a structural inspection revealed critical damage in the flyover’s bearings, following which the movement of vehicles weighing more than 10 tonnes had already been restricted. The PWD will now replace 56 bearings across 28 girders of the flyover. The repair work is scheduled to be completed by September 15, 2025. A joint inspection was conducted on June 26 by representatives of the PWD, traffic police, transport department, and municipal corporation, after which the repair timeline and weekend closure plan were finalized.

During the closure, heavy vehicles will be diverted from Church More on BT Road via Ekford Road, 8 No. Rail Gate, Rasmoni More, RN Avenue More, and Kachkal More on the Madhyamgram–Sodepur Road. Light vehicles will be rerouted via Ramchandrapur Road to BT Road. Traffic signs and guidance are expected to be installed along these routes. More than 100 shops located beneath the flyover will also be temporarily shut to allow smooth execution of the repair work.

Panihati Municipality Chairman Somnath De stated that the decision to restrict closure to weekends was taken to minimize public inconvenience. “Replacing the bearings is necessary, but a full-time closure would have caused difficulties. It was decided to keep the flyover closed from Friday night to Sunday morning,” he said. He added that normal traffic movement will resume every Monday morning.

Local residents have raised concerns regarding traffic congestion during the closure periods, as the flyover connects several major bus and vehicle routes including Barasat–Dakshineswar, Rahara–Babughat, and Madhyamgram–Howrah. The administration has requested public cooperation to ensure that the essential repairs are carried out on schedule and in a safe manner.