Patipukur is a bottleneck on Jessore Road near its intersection with Belgachhia Road. The stretch, en route to Belgachhia Metro station and Shyambazar from the northern fringes, lacks basic amenities. Metro checks out the pet peeves of the commuter at Patipukur.

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Footpaths

There are temples, sacks of cement, stacks of sand, shanties, garbage vats and parked cyclerickshaws on the footpaths between Belgachhia Metro station and the two Patipukur underpasses. Thousands of pedestrians have no option but to share the thoroughfare with trucks, buses, autorickshaws and private cars.

“There is an elevated pavement on one side of the underpasses and along some other stretches, but many pedestrians prefer to walk on the road, slowing down traffic,” said local shopkeeper Swapan Kumar Shaw.

The footpaths have been taken over by hawkers and greengrocers.

Low-lying underpasses

The underpasses are lower than the road level, resulting in waterlogging during showers. “When the underpasses are flooded, the autorickshaws stop plying, posing problems for the common man,” said resident Bolai Ray.

Narrow passage

“The four-lane Jessore Road narrows to half in the underpasses. Snarls are common throughout the day,” said Sunit Poddar, who takes the road to office and back.

Patients are often held up on the way to RG Kar Hospital. Sometimes, people are forced to get off the bus at Patipukur and walk to Belgachhia Metro station, said another commuter.

Sewage pipes are being laid under the road to the north of the Patipukur underpass for months, slowing down the traffic further.

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Officialspeak: The councillor of the CMC’s ward 3, Namita Das, said waterlogging in the underpasses is expected to be reduced by 70 per cent after sewage work is over.

“The footpaths are in a bad shape because of the dumping of material being used for relaying the pipes,” she said, adding that a sustained drive was needed to keep the footpaths free.

According to sources in the CMDA, the Calcutta Improvement Trust was asked to widen the underpasses at Patipukur in 2004 at a cost of Rs 6 crore, but it “did not have the infrastructure to do the work”.

“We have acquired land for the project. Work will start shortly and is expected to be completed in 18 months. The project cost has escalated to Rs 11 crore,” said a CMDA official.