The state government is in the final stage of the spade work for the muchawaited Vivekananda Road flyover project to connect Howrah Bridge with Girish Park.

KMDA officials said the detailed project report (DPR) is under preparation and will be submitted to the central government in a month.
“The project, included in our mission-1 schemes will be sent to the Centre to bring it under the National Urban Renewable Mission (NURM) scheme,” said KMDA chief executive officer P R Baviskar.

The DPR is being prepared after three alignment proposals were submitted by the Delhi-based firm Consulting Engineering Services.
CES, the consultancy firm appointed by the state government to draw up a traffic master plan for the city. had suggested three alignment options to construct the flyover.

The government then took up the matter to decide the alignment option most appropriate for implementation.

KMDA sources said the government preferred the second option suggested by CES — retaining the existing Brabourne road flyover with modifications on its west ramp to set up the Vivekananda road flyover.

The first option was to have the Vivekananda Road flyover move along Strand Road, retaining the existing Brabourne Road flyover with some modifications in its west ramp. The down ramp of Vivekananda Road flyover will make a U-turn to the right and cross the Brabourne Road flyover near MG Road and end parallel to the termination point of Brabourne Road flyover towards Howrah.

The second option, if executed, will see the Vivekananda Road flyover cross Brabourne Road flyover near its end and then make a sharp U-turn to the left to form a loop and end beside the Brabourne Road flyover towards Howrah.

The third option was to dismantle the Brabourne Road flyover and construct a completely new flyover on Strand Road. According to this plan, the proposed Vivekananda Road flyover would have made a left turn much before MG Road. However, the government is not considering this plan as it does not want to demolish the Brabourne Road flyover.

Officials said the Vivekananda Road flyover may be extended to Kankurgachi in its first phase of implementation itself. Finally, the flyover will be connected to the airport, work on which would be taken up in phases, said an official.