The city’s undulating roads, pockmarked with craters, are unable to withstand the usual monsoon downpour. After rain over the past week, several roads have broken surfaces, potholes or worn-off top layers.
Residents complained that commuting is risky. For pedestrians, especially the elderly, walking on such roads is fraught with danger.
Bypass, near Baghajatin
A 70m stretch near Hiland Park, on the northern slope of the Baghajatin rail overbridge, is among the worst in the city. “It is a backbreaking ride,” said a Patuli resident.
The top layer is gone, and potholes of varying shapes and depths force vehicles to swerve to avoid falling.
A Sonarpur resident said it took him 40 minutes to cross the stretch from Patuli during peak hours on Thursday morning.
“The queue of vehicles had crossed 500m because all had to slow down,” said a policeman.
Sector V
The northern flank of the road between SDF and College More is dotted with potholes. Buses, often carrying passengers on foot-boards, swing dangerously over them.
“The road was already in poor condition before last week’s rain. It hasn’t been repaired,” said a man in his 30s working in a consultancy in Sector V.
An official of the Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) said they had used paver blocks and bitumen to patch potholes on the stretch.
“This is something we do regularly,” the official said.
A regular commuter, however, shared a picture from Friday night showing loose stone chips and craters.
The NDITA has also laid paver blocks over a 75m stretch near the SDF crossing. “The paver blocks will prevent frequent damage,” said the official.
Bosepukur Road
The road from Kasba police station towards Barafkal resembles a kuccha road, with no bituminous layer.
Two-wheelers often lose balance on the muddy, slushy surface. Some topple, throwing off riders. Cars struggle to navigate undulations.
“The road was dug to lay underground drainage lines. We finished work on 250m. Restoration will start soon. It has been raining so much in the last few days that the work got delayed,” said Bijan Lal Mukherjee, councillor of Ward 67.
A resident of the area wondered why the Kolkata Municipal Corporation had not restored the road before the monsoon. “If they repair the road now, it is likely to be washed away by the rains,” said the resident.
No. 4 Bridge
Parts of the Park Circus Connector and the No. 4 Bridge — usual monsoon casualties — are again damaged.
The top layer on the Science City-bound flank of the bridge has worn off, and potholes have formed. Deep craters have formed on stretches of the Park Circus Connector, especially near Science City.
An official of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), the custodian of the No. 4 Bridge, said they would soon install paver blocks. “We have floated a tender. A contractor will be selected next week to do the repairs,” the official said.