Traffic Restrictions Announced in Kolkata Ahead of Ganga Sagar Mela & Makar Sankranti

In the backdrop of Ganga Sagar Mela and Makar Sankranti, West Bengal government has made an effort to mitigate danger, obstruction or inconvenience made to the public in connection with the event celebrations on coming up January 15, the Kolkata Traffic Police have issued a detailed advisory for commuters.

Traffic Restrictions in Kolkata (Jan 11 to Jan 17)

1) Movements of all types of Goods Vehicles shall be regulated / diverted away from St. Georges Gate Road and Strand Road between Hastings crossing and Kingsway for 24 hrs on and from 11.01.2024 to 17.01.2024 as and when considered necessary in addition to normal restriction on those days.

Goods vehicles coming from Dock area shall be diverted from Hastings crossing via AJC Ramp, AJC Bose Road, JL Nehru Road, C R Avenue and/or via Khidderpore Road, Dufferin Road, Mayo Road, R R Avenue, Auckland Road, Strand Road or Mayo Road, JL Nehru Road, CR Avenue for northward journey, if required.

Goods vehicles coming from CBD area for southward journey shall be diverted via Brabourne Road, India Exchange Place, New CIT Road, C R Avenue, JL Nehru Road, AJC Bose Road / Ashutosh Mukherjee Road and onwards, if required.

2) Goods vehicles coming from Dock area and CBD area for southward journey shall not be allowed to avail D H Road, instead they may be diverted from Hastings crossing New Flyover towards CGR Road, Budge Budge Road, etc. on and from 13.01.2024 to 17.01.2024.

3) All type of Goods vehicles shall be restricted on James Long Sarani on and from 14.01.2024 to 15.01.2024.

4) Movements of all types of goods vehicles shall be suspended for 24 hrs on 15.01.2024 along St. Georges Gate Road and Strand Road from AJC Bose Road crossing to Armenian Ghat Street crossing.

5) Movements of all types of goods vehicles shall be suspended from 04.00 hrs. to 22.00 hrs. on 15.01.2024 in the following thoroughfares:-

Along Rabindra Sarani from B.K. Pal Avenue crossing to Bagbazar Street Crossing.

Along the entire stretch of Strand Bank Road.

6) All kinds of Howrah bound goods vehicles of Dock and Port system shall be restricted from 06.00 hrs to 21.00 hrs on 15.01.2024.

7) All types of goods vehicles carrying goods for Kolkata Dock System shall not find entry from 04.00 hrs to 22.00 hrs. on 15.01.2024. Except emergency vehicles like Vehicles carrying LPG Cylinders only, Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants, Oxygen, Milk, Medicine, Vegetable / Fruits/Fish etc. Goods vehicles having gross vehicle weight not exceeding 1600 kg (Ex. TATA ACE, Mahindra Zeeto, Suzuki Super Carry, etc.) shall be allowed to ply from 16.00 hrs. on 15.01.2024.

8) No vehicles shall be allowed to park along St. Georges Gate Road and Strand Road from Princep Ghat up to River Traffic Police Office, except pilgrim’s vehicles for 24 hrs on and from 11.01.2024 to 17.01.2024 or as and when considered necessary by the Traffic Police on duty. Pilgrim’s Vehicles shall be allowed to park at Bangabasi College Ground.

9) No vehicles shall be allowed to park (a) along St. Georges Gate Road and Strand Road between Princep Ghat and Strand Road & Esplanade Row West crossing, Kingsway & Plassey Gate Road (b) along Strand Bank Road for 24 hrs on 15.01.2024. However, vehicular traffic carrying devotees for holy dip in the Ganges shall be allowed to park on the western side along Strand Road, north of Esplanade Row West crossing and on the western side along St. Georges Gate Road, south of Princep Ghat on 15.01.2024 without obstructing the normal flow of traffic. Meanwhile, Bus Stand at Band Stand shall be shifted to a suitable place during the above period on the day.

10) West Bound vehicles of Kingsway for Howrah may be diverted along Auckland Road on and from 11.01.2024 to 17.01.2024, as and when considered necessary.

11) Vehicular traffic may also be diverted from any of the arterial and/or feeder roads by the traffic police on duty as and when considered necessary on and from 11.01.2024 to 17.01.2024.

By Anshu Ray