Two-wheelers will be barred from using Kolkata’s Chingrighata flyover during rainfall after a series of motorcycle accidents, even as Police Commissioner Ajay Nanda said there was no conclusive evidence that the newly painted road surface caused the crashes.
The precautionary restriction applies only to the Chingrighata flyover. Nanda said the Gariahat flyover would not face a similar measure because it does not have a comparable sharp bend.
The decision followed the circulation of videos showing several motorcyclists skidding and falling on the painted section during rain on Wednesday. Three motorcycles were reportedly involved in incidents after rainfall, prompting concerns that the surface had become slippery, possibly because of oil on the paint.
Nanda said experts associated with the painting work had told the police that the material used on the flyover had anti-skid properties. “There is insufficient evidence to establish that the accidents happened because of the painting,” he said. According to the commissioner, the paint, when applied over bitumen, should not cause motorcycle or vehicle wheels to skid.
The police chief cited wet road conditions, the sharp bend and possible driver error as factors that could have contributed to the accidents. He also said some motorcyclists may have been attempting to record reels or videos while riding in the rain, which could have affected their balance. Nanda added that motorcycle skidding on wet roads was not unusual.
The West Bengal government has taken additional measures on the flyover by installing road studs and roughening the painted surface. These interventions are intended to improve surface conditions after the accidents and address concerns raised over two-wheeler safety.
The Chingrighata flyover’s design has become central to the immediate traffic-management response. Unlike the Gariahat flyover, the Chingrighata stretch includes a sharp bend, which the police identified as a particular risk during wet conditions. The restriction therefore targets motorcycle movement during rain on this specific structure rather than introducing a city-wide ban on two-wheelers using painted flyovers.
The police commissioner’s comments leave the precise cause of the crashes unresolved. While the authorities have rejected a direct link between the paint and the accidents for now, the government has still modified the road surface and introduced a temporary operating restriction during rainfall. Further movement arrangements will therefore depend on weather conditions and the implementation of these safety measures.
