A flank of the Beleghata underpass will be thrown open to the public before the Under-17 FIFA World Cup final takes place in Kolkata onOctober 28. A work, costing around Rs 17 crore, which was supposed to be executed in a year, has been completed within a record time of five months and understandably, it would be a great help to the traffic personnel handling the mad rush thronging the stadium to watch the final, through Beleghata Crossing to and from the Salt Lake Stadium.
IAS Soumitra Mohan explains the huge challenges and obstructions that came in the way while completing the underpass.
Huge brick sewerage networks and concrete box drainage works hindered and delayed its progress. As it involved open cut work, extended rains and heavy showers further created obstructions and delayed the work, forcing them to reengineer the project in view of emergent challenges, coming out with alternative strategies to open at least one flank for use.
The positive and inspiring pressures from the Honourable MIC and Secretary UD kept the workers on toes and had their shoulders to the wheel all the time. Mohan hopes the other flank will be complete by March next year which will still be two months ahead of schedule.
He says: “We shall start the work for Hyatt underpass immediately after the Under-17 World Cup final is over.”
