Cyclonic storm: Control room to run at Salt Lake round-the-clock

KOLKATA: Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) have taken several steps to combat the effect of heavy rainfall which is expected due to the cyclonic storm passing over Bay of Bengal.

Due to the impact of the cyclone, light to medium rainfall was experienced in several coastal districts, including North 24-Parganas and Kolkata. On Monday several stretches in Salt Lake Sector V went under water due to the showers. However, the accumulated water was drained out within half-an-hour due to the prompt response by the NDITA. According to BMC authorities, a round-the-clock control room has started functioning in its Salt Lake headquarters and staff of two stack yards—one in Rajarhat and one in Salt Lake—has been asked to be prepared. If any information of tree uprooting comes then they will rush to the spot and cut the uprooted trees to clear the roads. Also several pumps have been installed in addition to the existing ones to clear accumulated water due to heavy rain. Krishna Chakraborty, Mayor of BMC said: "We are ready to combat the situation. Several schools, community halls and buildings have been prepared to meet any emergency situation. Moreover, the drainage and sewerage lines have been cleaned to ensure free flow of the water to prevent waterlogging. All the water tankers of BMC have been filled and kept ready incase a water crisis comes up."

NDITA is also prepared to combat the expected heavy rain due to Asani. NDITA officials informed that 12 pumps in four pump houses have been kept ready.

Also pumps have been installed and kept ready in three points of the Airport-Garia metro project within the NDITA area to drain out accumulated water. Sources informed that stretches between SDF, Sasthya Bhavan and College More to Electronics Complex Police Station are common points of waterlogging and to combat it, the gully pits have been cleaned.