Playing it safe

Sir — The left has to prove that it is the fairest of them all. Which is why despite being aware that the Akalis had erred by raising slogans against a member of the house when he was taking oath, Somnath Chatterjee decided to talk about the right of expression (“Somnath starts on neutral note”, June 4). To the left, playing “neutral” probably means snubbing the Congress. Little wonder that Chatterjee’s nomination has received such wide support. But then the non-Congress parties needn’t have worried. Congressmen are used to being spurned, even by their own breed. Remember Najma Heptullah?

Yours faithfully,
N. Mukherjee, Calcutta

Eyes wide shut

Sir — The report, “Service roads to ease Bypass load” (June 3) makes for amusing reading. If widening of roads was the only solution to the rising number of accidents, then given the present width of the bypass and the average traffic load, there shouldn’t have been any accidents at all. The fact is that the bypass, like any other road in this city, is just another unscientifically constructed stretch of road which is without any lanes or markings that could make driving safer and easier. That such a wide road has no lane markings is truly bizarre. At some stretches near Garia, the width of the divider is probably more than the road itself.

The contention about the width however is part of the mindset which governs the road culture in the rest of the city. Wideness is considered the only parameter for a safe ride, not lanes, dividers or proper signals. More often than not, we witness cars and buses moving blissfully along the middle of a road, as if there were no other vehicles. Most drivers seem to have the impression that lanes are just for the beautification of the road. Little attention is paid to traffic signals or signs, which anyway most drivers do not understand or care about. Instead of simply widening roads, the authorities should think of making road journeys more safe by indicating the lanes with large visible markings.

Yours faithfully,
Sandip Dutta, Calcutta

Sir — The roads in Baguihati are in a terrible condition. Once the monsoon arrives, the roads will be swamped. Due to incursions and garbage dumps, roads are getting further constricted. If they are not cleaned immediately, things will get worse. The drains are already clogged with garbage, and once the rains are here, the filth is going to be all over. As a school-going 12-year-old, may I request the authorities to do something while there is still time?

Yours faithfully,
Ankur Sen, Calcutta

Sir — Various reports and articles are showing the “green” soul of the chief minister of West Bengal (“Red Buddha in green battle cry”, May 22). The measures he is trying to enforce to make Calcutta a better place to live in are really commendable, especially at a time when the greenery of the city is facing its ultimate threat in the name of development from the opposition-led civic body.

Yours faithfully,
Joydip Kundu, Calcutta

Sir — The West Bengal government has been trying to implement the Bharat II norms and other measures to reduce noise pollution in a very half-hearted fashion. But there is a dire need for such measures to be stringent. Take noise pollution. In our school situated on the Judges Court Road we find it impossible to tolerate the honking cars, screeching buses and the sound of trundling trams throughout the day. In foreign countries, the person driving the vehicle considers it an insult to be honking the horn. There should be a clamp down on the use of horns here.

Yours faithfully,
Shardul Singh, Calcutta

Sir — The trees on Rashbehari Avenue leading to Alipore were mercilessly cut down on the pretext of widening the road. The ugly stumps were allowed to lie while the space was quickly taken up by autorickshaw workshops. The road is now in a mess as giant pipes are being relaid. Meanwhile the trees are sprouting again, but it will possibly be only a short while before they are completely uprooted. Why are they being allowed to grow then?

Yours faithfully,
B. Basu, Calcutta