Cars parked in a no-parking zone on Taratala Road

Potholes dot the carriageway near the Taratala crossing

A 40-year-old CBI official returning home from work on his motorcycle was crushed by an oil tanker on Taratala Road recently. Police had blamed the mishap on the absence of street lights and the condition of the road. Metro drove down the 3.4km stretch of Taratala Road till Jinjira Bazar to find out the problems that plague the mishap- prone zone

Dark danger

Street lights on both flanks of the road from Taratala crossing to Brace bridge and beyond do not function for weeks at a stretch.

Many of the street lights were found damaged with lamps missing. Cops and residents said they had complained to the authorities concerned several times with no result.

“Cars often dash each other or knock down pedestrians or stray dogs in the darkness. Vehicle headlights serve as the only source of illumination on the stretch,” said Raycharan Mondol, an employee of Stone India Limited, which has an office in the area.

Pedestrian peril

Autos, taxis, buses, cars, lorries and all other types of vehicle that ply the stretch can be found parked on the road though Calcutta police signs proclaiming “no parking” dangle from lamp posts.

Cars with CESC stickers were found parked outside the power utility’s office though the area is a no-parking zone.

The area has a heavy pedestrian population but no footpaths or sidewalks.

“The CBI official fell down and was run over because he slammed the brakes to avoid hitting a pedestrian who was walking on the carriageway. It wasn’t an isolated incident. Pedestrians and cyclists are often knocked down by speeding vehicles on the stretch,” said Asish Kumar, a shop-owner on Taratala Road who witnessed the mishap.

Pothole pitfall

Several parts of the stretch were either dug up or dotted with potholes. The carriageway near the Taratala intersection and opposite the CESC office are especially dangerous. According to residents, drivers often lose control of their vehicles while negotiating craters.

“I had a close shave recently when I fell off my motorcycle after the front tyre got stuck in a pothole near the Taratala crossing. The driver of the bus behind me braked in time or I would have been run over,” said Sourav Halder, a resident of Behala.

Careless cops

Traffic policemen are a rare sight on the stretch, even at the busy Brace bridge crossing. Residents said they had never seen traffic policemen take action against drivers of speeding lorries.

The autos that ply the stretch are overloaded but don’t attract penalties.

“Lorries are parked on the footpaths and ply on the stretch throughout the day, violating traffic rules. Cops posted on Brace bridge allow the lorries to pass after taking bribes,” said Soumitra Chakraborty, a Budge Budge resident who often drives home late from his office in Sector V, Salt Lake.

Official word

“We have received complaints about street lights not working on a part of Taratala Road. CESC supplies power to the street lights. We have forwarded the complaint to them and they have promised quick action,” said Pradipjyoti Biswas, the chief engineer (lighting) of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation, which is responsible for maintaining street lights on the stretch.

“We have asked CESC and the CMC to look into the problem of street lights not working. Enough cops are posted on the stretch but I will still review the situation,” said the deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Dilip Banerjee.