The Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) has taken up a project to lay a mastic asphalt coat on all motorable roads in the city proper before Puja.

According to civic engineers, laying bitumen on the surface is the cheapest way to metal a road. Bituminous roads are good in dry weather. A layer of mastic asphalt prevents water from seeping to the bitumen.

Out of the 2,500km of roads in Calcutta, only 200km have received a mastic asphalt top coat in the past eight years. Another 50km of roads is currently being coated with mastic asphalt. The civic authorities have allotted Rs 50 crore for the purpose.