Kolkata Police has introduced traffic diversions, one-way arrangements and limited parking controls in Behala and adjoining areas ahead of Durga Puja, as congestion intensifies around Majerhat Bridge, Mominpur, Diamond Harbour Road and nearby junctions.
The measures are aimed at managing the increased movement of vehicles and pedestrians during the festival. The stretch from Majerhat flyover towards Mominpur and CMRI Hospital is facing particularly heavy traffic, prompting the police to apply diversions at different times of the day.
A key intervention has been introduced near a newly opened school close to Majerhat Bridge. The school does not yet have an official parking facility, and about 700 vehicles reportedly gather in the morning and afternoon to drop off or collect students. To manage this pressure, police have allowed parking on the Garden Reach flyover for up to 10 minutes before school pick-up activity begins.
School vehicles have also been instructed to avoid taking a U-turn at the Burdwan Road–Diamond Harbour Road crossing. Instead, they have been directed to use the Remount Road crossing for turning, a change intended to reduce conflict at the already congested junction.
During the evening, when long queues form near Alipore Ladies Park, vehicles are being diverted from the traffic signal towards Judges Court Road. Long-distance buses travelling towards Diamond Harbour, Kakdwip-Namkhana and Raichak may also be routed through Ekbalpore when required, according to the report.
The traffic arrangements are being implemented against a backdrop of restricted road capacity and ongoing works. Repairs carried out by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation on Burdwan Road had previously required repeated closures and diversions. Police sources cited in the report said rain had damaged sections of the patchwork again, adding to the difficulty of keeping traffic moving.
Road space has also been reduced near Mominpur crossing, where a Durga Puja pandal is being constructed on the road towards Kidderpore. Work linked to a station is under way on Judges Court Road, further narrowing the available carriageway. The condition of Diamond Harbour Road has raised additional safety concerns, particularly during wet weather.
The evening diversions have helped control traffic to some extent, but morning congestion remains a major challenge. Local commuters told the publication that the approximately one-kilometre journey from Taratala to Mominpur is taking around 25 minutes, with conditions worsening during rainy periods.
The measures highlight the operational strain created when festival footfall, school traffic, road repairs, construction activity and weak road conditions converge on the same corridor. For commuters, the immediate impact will be changing routes, longer travel times and possible restrictions around key crossings and flyovers.
Police are continuing to use timed parking permissions, route diversions and one-way arrangements to manage traffic during the festival period. Further changes will depend on congestion levels and conditions on the affected roads.