Kolkata Police will install permanent electronic message boards at Park Circus and on EM Bypass to alert motorists about traffic conditions on the Parama flyover and help them decide whether to take the elevated corridor.
The boards will display information about congestion on the flyover, allowing drivers to consider alternative routes before entering it. The decision was announced by police officers overseeing traffic management in the city on Friday.
“ The idea is to help motorists choose before deciding to take the flyover in case there is congestion ahead,” Sambhav Jain, deputy commissioner of police overseeing traffic in Calcutta, said, according to the police.
Unlike temporary display boards that are moved between locations depending on operational requirements, the boards planned for the Parama flyover will remain permanently installed at the two approach points. The locations at Park Circus and EM Bypass are intended to give motorists information before they commit to the flyover route.
Traffic volumes on the corridor have increased significantly since 2019, when the AJC Bose Road flyover was linked to the 7.5-km Parama flyover. The continuous elevated route allows motorists to travel between the two ends without stopping at traffic signals, making it a preferred option compared with surface roads.
Police officers said more than 150 vehicles reach the Race Course Road and AJC Bose Road crossing every minute after descending from the flyover. The high volume has also made disruptions harder to contain, particularly when a vehicle breaks down or develops a mechanical problem on either flank.
“ The traffic is so heavy that within minutes the pile-up begins on the affected flank. With the message boards, we want to inform motorists in advance about the state of traffic flow,” a senior officer handling traffic movements said.
To speed up the removal of disabled vehicles, Kolkata Police has increased the number of openings in the Parama flyover’s median divider from three to six. The cutouts are intended to provide additional options for moving a vehicle away from the affected side of the flyover.
Police said managing peak-hour traffic on the Parama flyover continues to be a challenge. The new message boards and additional median cutouts are the latest operational measures being used to respond to congestion on the elevated corridor.
