‘Flyovers are the only viable option for city’

Bibhas Kumar Sadhu, the chief traffic and transportation engineer, is the key-figure behind the traffic and transportation planning of the state.
Sadhu elucidates the vision behind the construction of the flyovers and the solutions to the “initial� chaos, in a chat with Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay.
What was the basic logic behind the construction of flyover?
When the traffic volume on a particular road far exceeds the saturation point, a flyover becomes a necessity.
The major thoroughfares exceed the saturation limit. These JBIC funded four flyovers are absolute necessity for the improvement of vehicular speed. Poor vehicular speed is a regressive factor for the over all economic and social development.
Is the flyover the only viable solution for the city?
The city reeling under tremendous crisis because of highly inadequate road space (only six per cent), the flyover is the only viable solution. Our study showed that from Race Course to Park Circus, a vehicles earlier needed at least 40 minutes. The vehicular speed was below 15 km/hr. Now, it takes only three minutes at a speed of 60 km/hr.
Why is there a virtual chaos at both ends of A.J.C. Bose Road flyover?
This is a teething problem which would be overcome within a month. Today there is confusion among the drivers, because of non-availability of information on the sign boards. At the Park Circus end, drivers cannot see the east-west ramp of the flyover and thus take a detour.
A lot of people take flyover for a joy ride. What about approach-ways to the flyover?
Yes, approach-ways are yet to be in desired shape. We are relaying the approach-ways. On the west end of the flyover, the Hospital Road-A.J.C. Bose Road crossing is being widened. Once the widening of the road is over, bottle-necks removed, there will be no hassles in taking the approach-ways.
Similarly, Nasiruddin Road, and Fazlul Haque Sarani are widened. The circle at Park Circus Rotary has also been reduced to facilitate better traffic circulation plan. The relaying of the underpass, which would be completed by this November, would sort out the problem in its entirety.