A division bench of the high court on Thursday expressed concern over the sorry state of roads in the state, including in the city, during the monsoon.
The government has to repair two busy roads in Calcutta and one in Howrah within two weeks, failing which, the court will initiate a suo motu case, said the bench of Justices Soumen Sen and Smita Das De.
“The roads between Taratala and Joka (Diamond Harbour Road), between Taratala and Batanagar, and another in Bally’s Sapuipara must be repaired immediately. The state must submit a report of the repair job within two weeks. Otherwise, the court will be forced to file a suo motu case,” the bench said.
The court was hearing a PIL that alleged the condition of roads in Calcutta and the districts worsens in every monsoon. The waterlogged roads pose a challenge for commuters, the PIL said, seeking the court’s intervention.
Hearing the PIL on Thursday, Justice Sen said in open court: “The condition of the roads in the districts is pathetic. It can be seen regularly in the media. Some roads are so bad that patients cannot travel on them.”
“The state spends a lot of money on a lot of things. However, the allocation seems insufficient for road repair. Please spend money where needed. Send this message to the zilla parishads,” Justice Sen said.
The counsel for the state assured the court that the matter will be looked into with “all seriousness”.
The city’s roads, pockmarked with craters, are unable to withstand the usual monsoon downpour.
After consistent rain in the city over the past week, several roads have broken surfaces, potholes or worn-off top layers.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has already undertaken repairs on stretches of EM Bypass, Diamond Harbour Road, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Burdwan Road, CIT Road, Amherst Street, James Long Sarani, and AJC Bose Road, among others.
The intersection of Diamond Harbour Road and Biren Roy Road West at Behala Chowrasta was riddled with craters on Monday.
A ride through the stretch on Thursday afternoon suggested a repair job had been carried out.