Stretches of several roads in Kolkata are already battered and bruised, though the city has received only one spell of heavy rain this monsoon. Wide and deep potholes, worn-out roads and poorly illuminated stretches with craters make it difficult for motorists as well as pedestrians.
The Telegraph reports about the worst few from a long list
Broken stretches of Hyde Road, near Garden Reach, on Monday.
Near Wipro crossing
The stretch of the road under the flyover in Sector V near the Wipro office in northeast Kolkata has potholes that are deep enough to topple a two-wheeler falling into one of them. Vehicles coming towards the Wipro crossing from New Town have to take this road. Driving through the stretch is very difficult, especially in the evening.
“It was raining on Sunday when we were crossing the road. It was difficult for our driver to see the potholes,” said a resident of Salt Lake, who was returning from New Town.
Potholed stretches of Anandapur Road, between Heritage School and Basanti Highway, on Monday
Potholed stretches of Anandapur Road, between Heritage School and Basanti Highway, on Monday
The Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) maintains the road as well as the road under the flyover.
An official of NDITA said runoff rainwater from both the flyover and the elevated Metro corridor of the airport-New Garia line above the road had weakened the bitumen layer of the artery, leading to the formation of craters.
NDITA chairman Debashis Sen said engineers from the road repairs department had inspected the road. “Repairs will start soon. We have also had a meeting with officials from the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and have requested them to ensure that water does not seep from the Metro corridor,” said Sen.
A worn-out stretch of a road near Technopolis in Sector V
A crater on a road under the Sector V flyover
Near Technopolis
The stretch of the road from Technopolis to the Midland Park crossing is broken in several parts.
A portion of the road is barricaded for the construction of the New Garia-airport Metro. The road just outside the barricade has worn out. Cars tend to avoid the stretch on the right, thus effectively reducing the two-lane road into a single-lane thoroughfare.
Anandapur Road
The stretch of Anandapur Road between Heritage School and Basanti highway is in a deplorable state.
There are potholes and innumerable undulating stretches. The top bituminous coat has worn off in many places. The road has assumed a lot of importance as large housing complexes have come up there.
Susanta Ghosh, councillor of Ward 108, said the 1.5km stretch between Heritage School and the Basanti highway was built four years back. “Its condition has deteriorated. A thorough repair will be undertaken after the monsoon,” Ghosh said.
Hyde Road
Hyde Road in Garden Reach looks less like a road and more like a stretch of potholes.
“The road has been in such a condition for the last seven or eight months. By now people have resigned to the fact that they have to travel through this cratered road,” said a resident of the area.
She said people even take a detour, spending more time, just to avoid the road.
A long stretch of Hyde Road has no smooth surface. It is filled with potholes and craters. Comparatively better parts are those where the top layer has worn off and stone chips lie scattered.
The Kolkata Port Trust maintains the road. “We have already concretised a stretch of Hyde Road. The condition has worsened because of leaks in water supply lines,” said a port trust official.
