Min inspects progress work of Kalyani Expressway extension & Ishwar Gupta Setu
State Public Works Department (PWD) minister Pulak Roy, on Wednesday, along with senior officials and engineers of the department, inspected the work progress of the extension of Kalyani Expressway and the second Ishwar Gupta Bridge.
The 714-meter-long six lane ‘extradosed’ bridge named as second ‘Ishwar Gupta Setu’ will be a sort of combined structure of pre-stressed box girder bridge and cable-stayed bridge designed by a Danish company and would accommodate six lanes of divided carriageway along with its elevated corridor. The new bridge will come up over the River Hooghly, parallel to the existing one.
“There are a total of 19 bridges in the extension project among which 10 have already been completed. Two more are in an advanced stage and will be ready by this month. We are taking all possible measures to ensure that the remaining seven are also completed in quick time. This is of the major state funded project,” a senior official of the department said.
The extension of Kalyani Expressway is a vital link connecting Belgharia Expressway up to Nadia district and then crossing Ishwar Gupta Setu to connect Hooghly. Another wing is being constructed at the right side which will pass via Nadia and is being extended to Baro Jagulia through an elevated corridor.
The extended stretch of Kalyani Expressway from Kanpa to Baro Jagulia in Nadia that is connecting NH-34, will be completed by June 2024 while the 10 km bridge stretching from Kanpa to Mogra in Hooghly is expected to be completed by December 2025.
“People travelling to Murshidabad from Kolkata can avail this stretch by avoiding traffic congestion of NH-34 and Barasat. Commercial vehicles from Hooghly to Kolkata will also get an alternative link indirectly relieving the pressure on second Hooghly bridge,” a senior official of the department said.
The Nimta stretch connection with Belgharia Expressway is presently being compromised due to some legal issues with the state trying its best to clear the logjam as quickly as possible.
