City to get its first underground tunnel for vehicles in New Town

KOLKATA: In a unique move, the Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) will construct an underground tunnel to ease traffic congestion for airportbound vehicles. The construction of the underground tunnel has begun and it is likely to be completed within two years. This is for the first time in the state when an underground tunnel will be built to ease traffic congestion.

The length of the tunnel will be about 320 metres. According to sources, through this tunnel, light motor vehicles will be able to cross New Town Main Arterial Road at Biswa Bangla Gate, 4.2 metres below ground level. The pedestrian subway will be built under that, around 8metres below the thoroughfare. The four-lane underpass will be 7 metres wide. The estimated cost for the project is Rs 68 crore, as reported.

Senior officials of HIDCO said light vehicles, that is cars and two-wheelers, will be allowed to use the underground tunnel. The officials said because of the Biswa Bangla gate construction of any flyover at Narkelbagan, where traffic jams have become almost a regular feature, was not feasible. A survey was conducted and the experts had opined that to address traffic congestion, construction of an underground tunnel was the only solution. Hundreds of cars from South Kolkata and southern fringes take Biswa Bangla Sarani to reach airport. Because of traffic congestion at Narkelbagan, the passengers find it difficult to reach Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on time.

The length of the tunnel will be about 320 metres