KMC plans to set up mini pumping stations at four ghats in city

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is planning to set up mini pumping stations at four ghats in the city.

These mini pumping station with dewatering pumps will send the accumulated water on the road back to the river when there is waterlogging during the monsoon. The four ghats include Nimtala Ghat, Chandpal Ghat, Dilarjung Raod Ghat and Chandpal Ghat (adjacent to Millenium Park).

The proposal for setting up these mini pumping stations has already been approved by the board of engineers and sent to Mayor Sovan Chatterjee for his final approval.

"We have witnessed that waterlogging takes places in areas , which are adjacent to the river, during monsoons.

This is because the lockgate of the river is closed for more than five hours during high tide and if there is heavy rain, the accumulated water cannot drain into the river. The dewatering pumps will be used to channelise this water back into the river," a senior official of KMC's drainage department said.

There are presently 18 lockgates connected to the river as well as the Tolly Nullah popularly known as Adi Ganga which is closed two hours prior to the time of high tide and is opened again two hours after the completion

of the high tide.

"We will first examine the effectiveness of these dewatering pumps and go forward in developing the infrastructure at every points where there are lockgates in the city," the official said.

It may be mentioned that the efforts taken by the KMC's drainage department has brought about a noticeable improvement in the condition of the city during

monsoons.

There has been a constant upgrade of technology and setting up of infrastructure for a complete overhaul of the drainage system.

Mayor Sovan Chatterjee claims that the situation in Kolkata during monsoons is far better than cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Nagpur, Ahmedabad etc.

"Even when there is rainfall above 120 mm, there was accumulation of water in some pockets but water drained out at a very rapid pace," an official of KMC's drainage department said.