Kolkata: Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) successfully completed the Phase I bridging work of the Orange Line at Chingrighata crossing at 5 am on Monday. The Ultadanga-bound flank was opened to traffic by 5:30 am, well ahead of the scheduled 8 am deadline.
Traffic Block and Construction Details
RVNL, the implementing agency for the Orange Line project, was finally granted a traffic block to close the Ultadanga-bound flank of the busy Chingrighata crossing from 8 pm on Friday. This 60-hour block was essential for lifting a 28-meter concrete deck between the Orange Line's piers 317 and 318. The completion of this segment addresses a 366-meter viaduct gap, the last major hurdle for the Orange Line to reach Sector V (IT Centre station) and connect with the Green Line (East-West Metro).
The Orange Line, which will eventually cover 32 kilometers from New Garia to the Airport, currently operates 8 kilometers between New Garia and Beleghata station at Metropolitan on EM Bypass. The next stop is Chingrighata, where the Gour Kishor Ghosh station has been constructed.
Background and Challenges
For the past 15 months, the work had been pending due to the Kolkata Police withholding permission. Following directives from the High Court and Supreme Court, six nights of traffic blocks over two consecutive weekends were initially agreed upon. With the new BJP government taking over, a continuous 60-hour block from Friday to Monday morning was permitted after RVNL submitted an IIT-Guwahati report highlighting construction strength compromises and safety hazards if work was done at night with daytime traffic.
Utilizing the continuous block effectively, RVNL completed lifting all ten concrete pieces comprising the 28-meter viaduct between piers 317 and 318 by Saturday evening. This effort enabled the agency to finish the entire viaduct work between the two piers at Chingrighata and hand over the Ultadanga-bound flank at 5 am, with traffic movement resuming at 5:30 am.
Upcoming Work
Another similar traffic block is scheduled from 8 pm next Friday for another 60 hours, lasting until 8 am the following Monday. During this period, the next concrete deck between piers 318 and 319—spanning 34 meters atop the Garia-bound flank of Chingrighata crossing—will be installed. This will cover 62 meters of the remaining 366-meter viaduct needed for the Orange Line to reach Sector V. The remaining 288 meters of viaduct work will not require such traffic blocks.
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