Timings for traffic on Parama flyover in Kolkata still not finalized

The Parama flyover has been named ‘Ma’ but, there appears to be plenty of confusion on when traffic would be allowed to operate from which direction. Of course, for flyover, there is usually no restriction on timings and traffic moves equally fast from both sides – but, in Kolkata, things are not like other places.
The Kolkata Police are right now in a fix. They are unable to finalize the timings for traffic on the newly opened Parama flyover (aka Ma) that connects Park Circus to EM Bypass. The police have yet again changed the timings for the Parama flyover in order to distribute the load of vehicular traffic equally on and off the flyover during the morning and evening peak hours.
As per the new plan introduced last week, vehicles from the city can travel towards the EM Bypass from 9am to 9pm while from 9pm till 9am the next morning, the flyover is open to traffic both ways. Even though one-way movement takes off at 9am, traffic sources said city-bound traffic would be barred from taking the flyover from the Bypass end at least 15 minutes earlier.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 28 October 2015.

Till last week, the timings for flyover had been synchronized with vehicle movement on Park Street. This means, vehicles could enter the city from the Bypass end of the flyover till 1pm and go in the reverse direction from 1pm till 10pm.
Traffic timings on the new flyover have already seen multiple changes since its inauguration earlier this month. And, it is understood that the new traffic model would be in force till around Diwali and reviewed later. The police plan to hold a meeting with other agencies to review the situation around that time.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)


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Giant wheels in Puja pandals despite ban by the KMC

Durga Puja is an annual festival of the masses and there are fairs held at many of the venues where different types of entertainment are available to cater to different tastes of the people who come to visit. Many of the visitors are children and they love rides on giant wheels. But, following a fatal accident, the Kolkata Police and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation KMC had imposed a ban on these wheels. However, the wheels continue to return every year despite the ban.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 18 October 2015.

This year, giant wheels are there in Kumartuli Park puja - it is much taller than a four-storey building. Other locations are the Mohammed Ali Park puja – its reasoning is that the incident that occurred a couple of years ago was just an accident. Giant wheels are also there in Park Circus, Sinthi More, Santosh Mitra Square, Kankurgachi Jubakbrinda etcetera.
The giant wheels are popular all over the world with children and adults alike and the KMC should have a system to check out the serviceability and condition of the equipment and also on persons who take the ride. Banning a relatively cheap form of entertainment is not a solution.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Mamata Banerjee throws open Parama flyover connecting EM Bypass and Park Circus

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has inaugurated Kolkata's most awaited and longest Parama Flyover hat will connect Eastern Metropolitan Bypass (EM Bypass) and Park Circus. This has been reported in indiablooms.com dated 9 October 2015.

The 4.3-Km long flyover (9-Km long with flanks and ramps) starts from Park Circus Seven Point crossing and ends at EM Bypass near Salt Lake. On the EM Bypass side, one flank of this flyover is ending near Bartaman Bhaban at Dhapa area and another flank is ending near Ambedkar Bridge and PC Chandra Garden at Arupota area. Work on the construction of a second flank that will connect Parama flyover and AJC Bose Road flyover will begin after Durga Puja and the targeted completion time of the project is July, 2016. The estimated cost of the flyover is 330 crore rupees. In the course of her speech, she also announced the construction of another flyover which would connect Taratala and Prince Anwar Shah Road in south Kolkata. (Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Terror of auto rickshaws in Kolkata – driver assaults passenger

This was yet another instance of an auto rickshaw driver who allegedly punched a passenger at Joramandir, off Baguiati – the driver demanded Rs 5 extra which the middle-aged passenger refused to pay because it was more than the prevalent fare.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 8 September 2015.

The gentleman had boarded the auto in Ultadanga and had got off at the last stop in Joramandir. In the scuffle that followed the altercation, he lost his gold chain. He has lodged a police complaint quoting the registration number of the rickshaw.
The auto rickshaw drivers in Kolkata have earned a bad name because of frequent instances of violence over petty matters like small change and dispute over fares.
In March, there was an assault by a driver on a passenger in Jadavpur – the victim had to be hospitalized. Earlier, in January 2014, a driver had attacked a woman passenger on the head with an iron rod in Park Circus due to a dispute over the fare. And, two months later, a 70-year-old passenger was allegedly abused and assaulted by a driver on the Garia-Tollygunge route over Rs 2.
These instances reveal the failure of the government to tackle the rogue drivers who usually enjoy patronage of political parties.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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