The Calcutta High Court has directed civic and government authorities to submit a detailed status report on the deteriorating condition of roads, flyovers and connectors in Kolkata, Howrah and adjoining municipal areas. The order came while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Akash Sharma, who appeared in person before the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujay Paul and Justice Smita Das De.
The PIL, registered as WPA (P) 360 of 2025, brought to light the worsening road safety situation across the Kolkata metropolitan area. It described how poor maintenance, recurring potholes and unscientific repair work have created dangerous commuting conditions for motorists, pedestrians and emergency services.
The petitioner pointed out that multiple agencies — including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC), Public Works Department (PWD), Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) and Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port — lack coordination and accountability. The absence of a scientific and uniform road maintenance plan, he argued, has led to repeated damage and chronic neglect.“Kolkata’s roads have become a symbol of neglect. Year after year, the same stretches are patched up and washed away with the first rain. Citizens pay road tax, fuel tax, and GST, yet they travel on unsafe and crumbling roads. It is time the authorities adopt a scientific and long-term solution instead of cosmetic fixes, after the intervention of the Hon’ble High Court,” said advocate Sharma.
The PIL also cited My Kolkata’s detailed ground reports on the state of roads and flyovers across the city and its outskirts. These reports have documented how arterial routes such as Diamond Harbour Road, Kidderpore, Mominpore, New Town and Garia continue to suffer from recurring potholes, uneven surfacing and open manholes, particularly during and after the monsoon. The publication’s photo stories and civic coverage have also highlighted how only a few flyovers, including Gariahat, AJC Bose Road and Sealdah, continue to offer some relief amid the larger crisis.
During the hearing, the Bench took serious note of the issues raised and directed all the agencies concerned to file a comprehensive status report within five weeks. The court observed that the problem was not limited to temporary inconvenience but involved larger questions of safety, civic efficiency and public accountability.
The High Court’s intervention comes at a time when citizens have repeatedly voiced concerns over traffic congestion, damaged roads and accidents caused by poor maintenance. The matter will be listed for further hearing after the submission of reports by the authorities.
The directive has raised hopes among commuters and civic activists that the judicial push will prompt a coordinated and scientific response to Kolkata’s long-standing road safety crisis.
