The civic body will level the undulated portions of EM Bypass between the Ruby crossing and Dhalai bridge this winter. However, experts have warned that this will only be a stopgap measure, not a long-term solution.
The stretch, which suffers from frequent damage, has not undergone thorough repairs since 2013. Over the past decade, maintenance has been limited to patchwork and bitumen layering over potholes.
Monsoon woes
The 8km stretch of EM Bypass south of the Ruby crossing turns into a corridor of potholes every monsoon. This year was no exception, with commuters facing severe snarls as vehicles were forced to funnel into the few usable lanes.
Reports throughout the rainy season highlighted the deteriorating road condition. Commuters complained that long tailbacks were common, as vehicles jostled to avoid cratered lanes.
Funds cleared
On Friday, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)’s mayoral council approved ₹1.68 crore for repairs to an 800-metre stretch between Jyotirindra Nandi Metro station (near Metro Cash and Carry) and the Prince Anwar Shah Road connector.
An official said on Sunday that the undulated portions in this stretch will be scraped and levelled, followed by a fresh bitumen layer to match the adjoining road surface.
This 800-metre stretch is part of the first phase of repairs, which will eventually cover the stretch from the Ruby crossing to Dhalai bridge. The overall cost for repairing the full section could run into several crores.
“The work will be completed over the winter. We won’t remove the top bituminous layer on stretches where there are no undulations,” the official added.
Similar work is also planned on the stretch between the Ruby crossing and Science City, though officials said this portion has fewer undulations.
Temporary fixes
A drive down EM Bypass on Sunday revealed that while potholes had been hurriedly patched before Durga Puja, many stretches remained in poor shape. Loose stones littered several sections, and the surface had worn off in many places.
Notably, rough patches were seen near Ambedkar Bridge, Beleghata Metro station, and beneath Jyotirindra Nandi (Mukundapur) station.
In several areas, the road remained uneven.
Ironically, some of the pre-Puja repairs created fresh undulations — issues the KMC now intends to fix.
Need for overhaul
Experts criticised the plan as superficial. “Scraping undulations is merely patch repair. It may improve ride comfort temporarily but doesn’t strengthen the road, which is what is needed for an even, sustainable top layer,” said Partha Pratim Biswas, professor of construction engineering at Jadavpur University.
“A thorough repair requires removing the entire top layer using a milling machine, strengthening the base layers, and then relaying a fresh top coat. Areas prone to waterlogging must also be addressed to ensure long-term durability of the road,” Biswas explained.
The last full-scale repair of the 15.6km EM Bypass was carried out in 2013. Until 2022, its upkeep was the responsibility of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), after which it was handed over to the KMC.
Although Metro construction work along EM Bypass ended in 2022 — except a small stretch near the Metropolitan crossing — the KMC has yet to undertake a comprehensive restoration of the corridor.