The Second Vivekananda Bridge. A Telegraph picture

The opening of the Second Vivekananda Bridge has been pushed back to Wednesday owing to a number of “logistical issues”, the government announced on Monday.

Transporters and local residents have complained about the lack of facilities on the bridge. The transport minister, Subhas Chakraborty, wrote to the Union minister for surface transport on Monday, seeking two ramps leading to GT Road and Bally after goods vehicle operators’ associations sent petitions to him.

“The transporters told us that going to Howrah via GT Road would involve a detour of four km, since there is no ramp on the bridge connecting it with GT Road. We realise that this is a problem. Building two ramps will cost around Rs 5 crore,” said a transport department official.

Chakraborty has scheduled a meeting with the Baranagar MLA and former PWD minister, Amar Chowdhury, and members of the Baranagar municipality, who have raised a number of issues regarding the bridge, on Tuesday afternoon.

According to Chowdhury, traffic signals need to be installed at a number of places, including the Alambazar crossing, Sabedabagan, Dunlop and Bonhooghly, before the bridge is opened to traffic. He has also called for a ban on illegal parking of trucks, buses and autorickshaws on the connecting roads.

The legislator also sought action on unauthorised shops and encroachments on adjacent roads, including Belghoria Expressway.

The PWD minister, Kshiti Goswami, will attend the meeting on Tuesday. He conceded on Monday that major work remains to be done before the bridge is opened.

“I think it was the chief secretary who okayed the earlier date for opening the bridge. But a lot of work remains to be done. For instance, roads like Gopal Lal Thakur Road, Surjya Sen Road and Deshbandhu Road have to be strengthened. Also, residents of Bally, including the local MLA, Konika Ganguly, have protested the absence of ramps to Bally,” said Goswami.

The National Highway Authority of India will employ over 100 volunteers on the Howrah side and another 100 on the North 24-Parganas side to direct traffic once the bridge is opened.