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The roads in Jinjira Bazar have become a nightmare for motorists and residents with the entire township plagued by potholes and craters.
Heavy rains in Kolkata have once again brought attention to the poor quality of the city's roads. Driving on this stretch has become extremely challenging, raising safety issues for motorists, especially two-wheeler riders.
Commuters were hassled on Thursday morning as traffic movement was partly restricted on the Jinjira Bazar area in Kolkata due to potholes.
Jinjira Bazar, which connects Taratala and Behala with other parts of the city, is one of the busiest roads in Kolkata.
“We suffer every monsoon as several parts of James Long Sarani develop craters. It happens despite KMC’s repairs,” said a stationery shopkeeper from the area. “We hope this cycle will be broken.”
"The condition of the road is very bad. It is very difficult to drive on this road. There are potholes over which one can't drive. The road should be fixed. It causes damage to our cars. Risk of accidents is also high due to bad maintenance," said a commuter, who takes the road daily to reach his office.
According to data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), pothole-related traffic accidents killed 3,625 people in 2022.
In addition, a 2021 study by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras discovered that nearly 78 per cent of urban potholes reported by citizens remain unfixed for more than two weeks, with delays being particularly serious in high-traffic areas.
A motorist, who takes the Jinjira Bazar route to reach his home, hoped that the government will take steps to repair the roads. "Hitting a pothole can cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle, leading to collisions with other cars, cyclists, or pedestrians. For motorcyclists and cyclists, the risks are even higher. Motorcyclists lack the protection of a car and can easily be thrown off their bike, leading to serious injuries or even death. I hope the government takes some action."
