বাংলায় পড়ুন
Kolkata police announced a two-hour closure of Vidyasagar Setu, the country's longest cable-stayed bridge, from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Thursday. The closure, mandated for repair and rehabilitation, will also extend to the bridge ramps, as detailed in a notification from the commissioner of Kolkata police issued on Tuesday.
During this temporary closure, vehicles bound for Vidyasagar Setu from AJC Bose Road will be rerouted via Turf View, Hastings crossing, St George’s Gate Road, and Strand Road toward the Howrah Bridge. Similarly, those approaching from Red Road will be redirected to Hastings crossing, facilitating movement through St. Georges Gate Road and Strand Road toward the Howrah Bridge.
Notably, vehicles from Garden Reach and Kidderpore will follow a detour from the Hastings crossing to St. Georges Gate Road and Strand Road.
The ongoing repair work primarily focuses on the holding-down cables beneath the bridge’s deck slab. One of the 16 cables, crucial for maintaining structural equilibrium, will undergo specialized replacement during the closure. The Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners (HRBC), responsible for maintenance, emphasized the necessity of a traffic-free bridge and ramps for two hours to carry out this intricate task.
The comprehensive project, estimated at Rs 202 crore, includes the replacement of bearings and some cables on the top of the bridge. Goods vehicles have been restricted from using Vidyasagar Setu towards Howrah since early this month, and this restriction will persist for four months as the project progresses.
Once Thursday's cable replacement task is completed, normal vehicular traffic will resume on the bridge, with ongoing restrictions on goods vehicles heading towards Howrah. The HRBC officials anticipate periodic two-hour closures over the next four months as they work on the Howrah-bound flank, ensuring the bridge's structural integrity and longevity.
