DAMAGE CONTROL: Sal posts being driven in to close the gap caused by the VIP Road cave-in. Picture by Amit Datta

The width of the gap caused by the cave-in of VIP Road near Kestopur increased by a few more inches on Friday as the engineers of public works department (PWD) started restoration work. Senior officials of the irrigation department also visited the spot.

“Though the gap edged few inches towards the road, we managed to erect a guard wall to prevent further erosion,” said a PWD official. But these repairs are temporary, as the exposed area needs thorough repairs, he added.

The PWD men erected a dozen sal posts in the gap on the road and poured in some filling materials on Friday.

“Given the volume of traffic plying daily on this road, the foundation of the road is in need of immediate repair,” said a PWD engineer.

The damage that has been caused to the culvert is to be healed by reconstructing the foundation at the base of the guard wall, as well as that of the culvert, said an official of the irrigation department.

“We have to reconstruct the entire culvert and the guard wall at the side of the canal after breaking the existing ones, once the monsoon is over,” said the official. “We might even have to remove water from a portion of the canal,” he added.

While the officials managed to control the damage to the road, the civic authorities and residents of waterlogged Bangur Avenue managed to reduce the water level in the service canals.

“We operated the pumps overnight and finally, the water level of two service canals was reduced to below-the-road height,” said Mistu Chakrabarty, councillor of ward 29, of South Dum Dum Municipality. “Some blocks are still waterlogged, but we can now drain water into the canals,” said Chakrabarty.

The obstruction on VIP Road was lifted around 5pm on Friday. Residents were seen walking victorious and confident. “Our decision to move out on our own was right. Now, the four pumps have brought down the water level to nearly a foot below the earlier height,” beamed Abhirup Sen, a local resident.

“The civic authorities must work out a permanent solution. The apartments and residences are nearly four feet below the level of VIP Road, and water accumulation is a common occurrence every time it rains,” said Sen.