Kolkata: Commuters in the city are set for a week of travel diversions in the central part of the city as the Kolkata Traffic Police has implemented extensive traffic and pedestrian regulations from June 14 to June 21. The curbs have been put in place to facilitate preparatory work and the smooth execution of the International Day of Yoga mega-celebrations on Red Road.
Restrictions on Red Road and Surroundings
The restriction on Red Road began from the night of June 14, affecting adjoining Dufferin Road. On Monday, north-bound traffic was allowed in the morning peak hours, and in the evening, south-bound traffic was permitted on Red Road, said cops. Dufferin Road was made one-way south-bound, with buses asked to take the Outram Road-JL Nehru Road-Mayo Road alignment for most of the day.
“While Red Road witnessed tidal one-way movement on Monday, the security of the stage being set up for PM Narendra Modi’s programme will be reviewed daily, and we might have to shut traffic completely on Red Road. This might affect traffic on JL Nehru Road,” explained a senior officer.
Complete Closure from June 14
According to a police notification, Red Road has been completely closed to all vehicular movement starting 10 pm on June 14 and will remain strictly out of bounds until the conclusion of the main programme on June 21. The restrictions will peak on June 21, starting 2 am. Guru Nanak Sarani (Mayo Road) will remain shut from 2 am on June 21 to all vehicular traffic, barring vehicles carrying special stickers officially issued for the programme.
A massive security cordon will also completely shut down major arterial channels around the Maidan area, including Hospital Road (East, West, and main), Lovers Lane, Casuarina Avenue, Queensway, Dufferin Road, Outram Road, Plassey Gate Road, Gostha Pal Sarani (Kingsway), the Esplanade Ramp, the south-bound stretch of RR Avenue from Esplanade Row East, and Kidderpore Road from Ghora Pass to J&N Island (except bridge-bound and AJC Ramp vehicles).
Diversion Plan for Commuters
To ease commuter woes during the week-long closure of Red Road, the traffic department has activated a comprehensive diversion blueprint. Vehicles moving north from J&N Island will be rerouted via Outram Road and JL Nehru Road, or through Dufferin Road and Mayo Road. Dalhousie or Howrah-bound buses arriving from the Zeerat Bridge side will be systematically diverted via Belvedere Road, AJC Bose Road, Turf View, the AJC Ramp, and Strand Road.
Conversely, south-bound motorists will be diverted from the Red Road-Mayo Road intersection onto Mayo Road and Dufferin Road, or directed through Government Place East to avail JL Nehru Road.
The traffic police noted that these emergency deployments will operate in addition to standard city restrictions, and on-duty personnel may execute spot diversions on any arterial or feeder roads as situational demands arise.
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