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Thursday, June 26, 2008

PROPOSAL FOR SKYBRIDGES IN CENTRAL KOLKATA

As a citizen of India, I am proposing a new project in Central Kolkata that would help both Esplanade-Sealdah bound pedestrians as well as traffic in Central Kolkata. The stretch between Sealdah Station through B.B. Ganguly Street till various entry points in Esplanade can be thought of as the place where the project can be built. ( see the diagram below)

The Red Coloured Markings depict the path of the Sky Bridges

(click on the picture above to see the bigger view of the picture)

Currently what happens is that because of the huge rush of lakhs of walking office-goers in this stretch, the traffic system cannot move freely. So does the office-goers who walk in this stretch has to stop on the crossings to let the cars pass bye. Thus is becomes difficult for the traffic police to control the traffic as well the huge rush of pedestrians during office hours. If this project is thought of and implemented, then it would be a boon for the everyone who pass bye this area during various periods of the day.

The interior of the Sky Bridges might look like this

Some of the issues related to the project: -


Advantages: -


1. No earth work (do digging of earth like in subways)

2. Shade from bad weather (if a shade is provided on the top of the way)

3. Easy and economic travel from one part of the city to another (no cost travelling is what people want)

4. Completing the walk within 15 - 20 minutes which normally takes more than 40 minutes

5. No traffic, no jam

6. Small parts of the whole traffic can be built elsewhere and assembled in the actual site of the sky-bridge to ease confusion and chaos.

7. Electric elevators could be set up to carry people to the height.

8. Environment friendly way of transporting people as well as least use of power (power might be needed for elevators and lights during the night)

9. Because of less people on the roads, the roads will be less congested and the traffic can move freely on the roads without much disruption.

10. No tension during waterlogging in the streets.

This is how the Sky Bridge might look from outside

Disadvantages: -

1. A bit of chaos when the whole unit will be set up in the area.

2. Less space in B.B. Ganguly Street.

3. Newly proposed underground metro railway and its construction along with existing tram and other vehicles might cause a chaos in the area.

4. Buildings which are on the two sides of B.B. Ganguly street might be at a threat but if the sky-bridge is closed with high railings on both sides as well as a shade on top, it might bring respite to the residents of the area. (thus stopping unsocial activities)

Another interior view of an expensive Sky Bridge

Who will be benefited: -


1. Office-goers who travel from Sealdah till Esplanade ( as they want a cost effective way of travelling through the stretch and what can be a more cost effective way of travelling other than this?)

2. School goers

3. Daily commuters (who wants to cover the stretch during different times of the day)

4. The old people


Who should not be allowed inside the bridges: -


1. beggars (as they might create unnecessary resistance among walkers)

2. hawkers who wants to set up their business inside the sky-bridges (as they might create unnecessary resistance among walkers)

3. Cyclists with cycles (as they might be a danger to the walkers)


Open timings of the sky-bridge: -

  • 8.00 AM in the morning (when most of the traffic starts increasing) till11.00 PM at night (when most of the last trains set off from Sealdah)


It might be kept: -

  • One way from 8.00 AM to 12.00 NOON (passengers moving from Sealdah to Esplanade)
  • Both ways from 12.00 NOON to 5.00 PM (when the passenger intensity is less)
  • Again one way from 5.00 PM to 11.00 PM (when the passengers will be travelling from Esplanade to Sealdah to catch trains)
  • Closed for people from 11.00 PM to 8.00 AM to prevent unsocial activities inside the sky-bridges. Thus all the entry points will have to be closed during this period.


Conclusion: -

No such projects have been proposed for Kolkata yet, and if it is done it can provide a great ease for the daily commuters as well as the traffic system in Central Kolkata. Once completed, it would be a grand project for easing the traffic tension in Central Kolkata for centuries to come. If this Sky Bridge is a huge success, then many such bridges can be built all over Kolkata for smooth flow of pedestrians.

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