A waterlogged KK Chowdhury Road in Behala after a brief spell of rain on Friday and (below) vehicles parked illegally near Behala tram depot. Pictures by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Mayor-select Sovan Chatterjee has started meeting Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) officials to improve civic services. Chatterjee’s backyard, Behala, where all the new councillors are from his party, seems to need a boost in civic services the most. Metro identifies the problem points in the added areas and what people expect from the new civic board.

Problem: Waterlogging

Vulnerable pockets: Vast stretches of Behala get inundated during the monsoon. KK Chowdhury Road, Narayan Roy Road, Brojomini Debya Road in Sakherbazar and Silpara are among the worst affected. Last Friday’s rain, which lasted about 20 minutes, was enough to flood these areas. The open drains had started overflowing. During the monsoon, the water takes four-five days to recede.

What people want: “Behala and waterlogging are synonymous. I hope the new mayor takes urgent steps to stop the waterlogging problem since the rainy season has arrived,” said Debayan Basu, a college teacher who lives near Sakherbazar.

Problem: Garbage collection

Vulnerable pockets: Open vats and heaps of garbage on the roadside are a common sight along Diamond Harbour Road. Near Behala tram depot, a large vat occupies half the width of the road, causing frequent traffic snarls. The pavement opposite Calcutta Blind School, near Chowrasta, remain littered with garbage.

What people want: “The mayor should ensure daily clearing of garbage in the area. There are some stretches where a layer of garbage has settled on the road,” said Subhasree Ghosh, a research scholar at Jadavpur University.

Problem: Illegal parking

Vulnerable pockets: Small goods vehicle line both sides of Diamond Harbour Road, especially on the stretch between Behala police station and Behala tram depot.

What people want: “Illegal parking is responsible for frequent traffic snarls in the area. The Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) should identify some parking spots and the police should ensure that vehicles are not parked anywhere else,” said Sandhya Banerjee, who lives near Behala tram depot bus stop.

Problem: Encroachment

Vulnerable pockets: Hawkers occupy pavements on both sides of Diamond Harbour Road. The stretch between No. 14 and Behala tram depot bus stops and the pavements near Manton Supermarket have been taken over by hawkers.

What people want: “I am not saying all hawkers should be evicted but pedestrians should at least be able to walk. In Behala, building materials are dumped on the few footpaths that are not encroached by hawkers,” said Santanu Ghosh, who lives near No. 14 bus stop.