Cratered stretches and undulations make driving down EM Bypass in east Kolkata seem like being on a roller-coaster ride of an amusement park.
The artery is not only riddled with potholes but there are undulations created by uneven patchwork, some of which has worn out.
As a result, the ride is not only bumpy but the wheels of vehicles kick up dust, resulting in much reduced visibility.
The artery has not seen any overhaul in eight years. There have only been superficial repairs to cover potholes, undertaken by the Kolkata Municipal Development Authority (KMDA).
The Telegraph recently drove from Salt Lake to the Patuli fire station intersection and back. The ride through the Patuli-bound flank and the airport-bound flank was not only harrowing but also dangerous in some places.
A large section of the Ruby-bound flank of EM Bypass had giant craters near the Science City intersection. Most of them remain hidden under water after a spell of heavy rain.
Motorists and two-wheeler riders were spotted braking at the last minute and swerving hard right in order to avoid craters.
The situation was similar near the VIP Bazar bus stop, where a 500m-long stretch of the blacktop has turned undulating because patchwork repairs have worn off. The stretch has also turned dangerous because of craters.
Near the Ruby intersection, too, two-wheeler riders as well as motorists were spotted zigzagging through the Patuli-bound and the Ultadanga-bound flanks of the Bypass as the top layer has peeled away.
A stretch of the damaged EM Bypass near the Ruby crossing.
A senior KMDA official said the 29km EM Bypass had not been resurfaced properly and had last received a coat of top layer back in 2013.
“The road has had to face the elements for the past several years and it needs a thorough resurfacing. However, we have managed to carry out only patchwork repairs and this has clearly taken its toll,” said the official.
Commuters tend to prefer the Bypass to avert snarls within the city. It was once lined with water bodies in the north and trees and fields in the south.
Over the years, the snarl-free Bypass has become like any other uncared for Kolkata road. Potholes are many, the road is undulating and trees have disappeared.
“Every year, the condition of EM Bypass becomes horrible during the monsoon. This year it has turned particularly worse as it has rained heavily till October. Biking down the Bypass during the monsoon, especially if it rains, is very risky,” said Malcolm Lazarus, a resident of Ambuja Neotia Complex in Ajaynagar.
