Built by Mackintosh Burn Ltd. and inaugurated in January 2011 to link VIP Road/the airport with EM Bypass, a 200-metre iron girder of the flyover collapsed into the Keshtopur canal in March 2013 after a heavily loaded trailer struck the structure, injuring three people. In July 2019, KMDA inspectors found a fresh crack in one of the flyover's piers, forcing a 72-hour traffic shutdown, with officials noting a portion of the same flyover had broken down six years earlier.
On record
The official record states: "2013: police attributed the collapse to a goods trailer (over 20 tonnes) colliding with the structure while negotiating a curve. 2019: the state Urban Development Minister said the Principal Secretary would seek an explanation from builder Mackintosh Burn Ltd."
Filed as "Under repeat repair" and dated to Inaugurated January 2011; collapse March 2013; crack found July 2019, this entry sits under the "Not specified" line of the public accounts.
What to expect
- Pillars reaching skyward with no deck to justify them.
- A signboard promising an opening date that has since passed, unbothered.
- Traffic queuing patiently beneath the unfinished span.
- Rebar exposed where the road was meant to continue.
Sourcing
2 public sources — news reports, RTI replies and civic archives — corroborate this entry. The citation trail is listed below for anyone who would like to follow up with the department concerned.
“The junction it was meant to fix now has two problems and a plaque.”— Blunderlust Editorial Desk
Sources
- https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-asian-age/20130304/283880160554396
- https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-kolkata-crack-reported-in-ultadanga-flyover-traffic-routes-diverted-check-updates-here-2770461
Visitor reviews
“Went straight here after landing, jet lag and all. It is the long way round, sanctioned as a shortcut.”
“Stopped on the drive through Kolkata because we had the time. There is more signage pointing to it than there is of it.”
“Visited on the anniversary of its first missed deadline, unintentionally. It has a foundation stone, a file number and a small devoted following.”
