If Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol were to be reshot, Tom Cruise could well chase Hendricks in Howrah. For, every bus negotiating the crater-filled Girish Ghosh Road throws up a Dubai-like dust storm.
Welcome to the hell that is Howrah's roads. If waterlogging is a pet peeve of every Howrah resident, broken roads come a close second.
A ride along any of the thoroughfares in central and north Howrah could easily leave one with a few bruised bones, if not a slipped disc. Craters the size of mini-ponds, filled with swirling muddy water, are virtual death traps for commuters, whether on foot or on wheels. While the mayor claims to have worked 24x7 to ensure repair of a hundred roads through the past year, one monsoon is all it seems to have taken to undo the work.
Girish Ghosh Road
On the road in front of the swank Forum Pravesh, day turns into dusk every now and then as buses negotiate a 3ftx 8ft crater. Traffic comes to a standstill and pedestrians stop in their tracks, waiting for the dust to settle. Till another vehicle crosses the giant crater.
On rainy days, the muddy water splashes waist-high every time the tyres of a truck or bus plunge into the crater.
The façade of shops, steps and grilles of houses along the one-and-a-half kilometre stretch from Belur Bazar to Ghusuri are grimy from the constant dust.
If a car or bus ride along the stretch leaves one with rattled bones, those commuting in totos are the worst sufferers. Several such vehicles have overturned, leaving commuters injured.
"Totos overturning on the road are a regular affair. The crater is so deep and wide that it is impossible to avert it," said B.L. Chowrasia, who runs a pan shop next to the road.
Rain spells further trouble. Drivers cannot gauge the depth of the crater and are prone to turning turtle.
Anjan Majumdar, who shifted to his flat in Forum Pravesh in February, must take this road every time he leaves his home. "I don't understand why this road is not being repaired. It is difficult driving here," he said.
A few weeks ago, local residents blocked the road, demanding immediate repair. "We had blocked the road on the morning of July 25, right after a toto overturned and four passengers were severely injured," said Avishek Gupta, a local resident, who initiated the blockade. "The condition has been deteriorating in the past four months."
Local residents recently collected rubble from a nearby construction site and filled the crater.
The road was part of the Bally Municipality, which has been merged with the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) recently. "Repair of the road had to be put off for laying of pipeline and sewer lines for the multi-storeyed Forum Pravesh complex," said Arunava Lahiri, who was the chairman of the erstwhile Bally Municipality.
HMC commissioner Nilanjan Chattopadhyay has promised that work will begin soon. "It will be done in two phases and the cost is Rs 40 lakh. Apart from Girish Ghosh Road, we will also repair 26 other roads in the Bally area. Funds worth Rs 3 crore have been disbursed for the development of roads in Bally."
East-West Bypass
Another rattle road in central Howrah is the East-West Bypass along Tikiapara station. Railway tracks in Tikiapara are known to be submerged every time there is a heavy shower.
The one-kilometre stretch from Chatterjeepara to Belilious Park is as treacherous. It offers a free roller-coaster ride to anyone who dares to take the road this monsoon. For most, there is no choice as it is an important link road between south and north Howrah, specially for those who want to go from Kadamtala, Bantra, Ichhapur or Dasnagar to Howrah Maidan or Howrah station or Belilious Park.
Waterlogging makes it worse. "It becomes very difficult to negotiate the potholes after a heavy shower, when the road is waterlogged. Rickshaws and totos overturn frequently. This is the best route for me to reach Howrah Maidan or Howrah station, but the condition of the road is so bad that I fear an accident all the time," said Ashoke Kumar Jana, a resident of Tikiapara.
"The potholes are dangerous. They had repaired the road a few months ago, but after a few showers, the road has gone back to its old condition, in fact it's worse than before," said Bijay Paul, a resident of Madhusudhan Pal Chowdhury Lane.
Natabar Pal Road
Potholes have also appeared on a portion of Natabar Pal Road that joins Drainage Canal Road and Benaras Road. The stretch that runs under the railway tracks is filled with craters, slowing down traffic. Two speed breakers, nearly two feet high, further hold up traffic.
"In the morning, during rush hour, a traffic snarl is inevitable at this crossing. Traffic slows down because of the potholes under the bridge and also because of the speed breakers. It's a pedestrian's nightmare as well," said Nirmal Nandi, a resident of the road.
Although the road was repaired a few months ago, showers have washed away most of the tarmac top, leaving behind gaping potholes.
Mayor speak: "We have repaired 100 roads covering 73km in Howrah over the past year. At present, because of the rains, we cannot do anything other than filling the craters with bricks. Once the monsoon ends, we will repair the badly affected roads," said mayor Rathin Chakrabarti.
Pictures by Anup Bhattacharya
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