Kolkata: Apart from suspension of Metro services from Kavi Subhas station since 2025, people in Garia are now staring at another commute setback as Garia Station Road is set to be shut from Friday night for at least three months for the installation of a new water supply pipeline.The plying of all vehicles, including auto-rickshaws, rickshaws, buses and private cars, would be restricted between Dhalai Bridge and Garia station, or diverted through narrow roads onto Bypass near Peerless Hospital, police said.While civic authorities said the temporary shutdown was a necessity as they had to lay high-capacity underground pipelines to augment potable water distribution to the southern fringes of the city, commuters expressed concern over possible jams, pointing out that the secondary roads in the area were not equipped to handle the heavy volume of daily traffic. “Buses will be the worst hit. We hope feeder services resume if bus operations in the area fold up for three months,” said Kankan Dasgupta, a resident.Garia and East Jadavpur traffic guards of Kolkata Police and Baruipur Police are working in tandem to tackle traffic during the shutdown. An officer said traffic diversion plans being finalised aimed at minimising inconvenience. “It will be a situation-based response. We are not detailing all our plans for this 1-km stretch as we wish to keep all our options open,” said the officer from the Garia Guard. Emergency vehicles and pedestrian access will be accommodated wherever feasible but police urged commuters to plan their travels in advance and take other routes, if possible, during the construction period.Garia Station Road serves as a key feeder road for commuters from Sonarpur, Baruipur and Budge Budge, many of whom arrive by train at Garia station and take autos and buses to reach the metro station. The narrow stretch, which houses two schools, already has autos, buses, e-rickshaws as well as heavy goods vehicles jostling for space, often blocking each other’s way and congestions spilling onto EM Bypass.
