The Taratala Road, a crucial connector in southwest Kolkata has turned into a daily hazard for commuters and residents.
For the past eight months, the stretch has been broken, uneven and peppered with gaping potholes. During rains, the potholes disappear under filthy water and vehicles stall as drivers try to guess the depth. In the dry months, thick dust rises with every passing vehicle, covering homes, shops and people in the muck. Residents describe the road as a “death trap”.
On Tuesday morning, around 350-400 students, teachers and parents of the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy (IICP) — staged a protest, demanding immediate repairs. They blocked the road for about 10 minutes before police intervened. The group continued their agitation from the side of the road, holding placards and voicing their demands.
“We have been seeing the road in this condition for eight months. It is full of dust, mud and broken bricks,” said Sudipendu Dutta of the Ankur Advocacy Group at IICP. “We have to take every step carefully because one wrong move can lead to an accident. You can’t imagine the condition.”
Residents said they have repeatedly approached authorities and even highlighted the issue in the media. “The Telegraph covered it earlier and it was written that KMC said it would be fixed by May 2026. How can we wait that long?” asked Saswati Acharya Mahanti, coordinator of advocacy at IICP. “The road has been damaged since July 2025. This is October and nothing has changed.”
The demonstrators also pointed out the stagnant water that accumulates on both sides of the stretch after rain, leading to mosquito bites and illness. Bulldozers and construction material lie abandoned on the road. “They started work before Puja, but left it halfway. The road has become even narrower now,” said a parent. “There are so many accidents. Even rickshaws get stuck. How will a child with a disability move on this road?”
The protestors said this is not just about inconvenience, but a situation of “life and death”. “It is a massive security concern for everyone who travels here. Why should we wait for a tragedy before action is taken?” asked Mahanti. “If something goes wrong, who will pay the compensation? If something happens to a child, will Rs 2 lakh bring their life back? What does compensation even mean? We don’t want money, we want safety.”
The group said they will wait for a month to see visible progress. If nothing improves, they plan to intensify the protest. “We are not asking for luxury. A basic motorable road is a right. Ordinary people are suffering every day,” said Dutta. “Why only us? Everyone uses this road and everyone understands the risk.”
For now, trucks continue to thunder over broken patches, dust clouds rise and stagnant water hides the next pothole. For residents and commuters, each journey on the Taratala Road still feels like a gamble with fate.
