Kolkata: The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) will construct 5,616 roads in urban areas across five districts under the fourth phase of the Pathashree–Rastashree project, launched by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on December 11. This is the first time the scheme has included urban road construction.
South 24-Parganas will account for the highest number, with 2,492 roads across five municipalities. Maheshtala alone will see 1,451 roads, followed by Rajpur Sonarpur (661), Budge Budge (298), Pujali (66) and Baruipur (16).
North 24-Parganas will have 1,742 roads across 19 urban local bodies, including Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, where 135 roads will be built. Other municipalities covered include Baranagar, Barasat, Barrackpore, Bhatpara, Dum Dum, Garulia, Halisahar, Kamarhati, Kanchrapara, Khardah, Madhyamgram, Naihati, New Barrackpore, North Barrackpore, North Dum Dum, Panihati and South Dum Dum. North Dum Dum will have the highest number in the district with 170 roads, followed by Baranagar with 166.
In Hooghly district, 971 roads will be constructed across 11 urban local bodies, including Chandanagore Municipal Corporation, along with Baidyabati, Bansberia, Bhadreswar, Champdani, Dankuni, Hooghly Chinsurah, Konnagar, Rishra, Serampore and Uttarpara Kotrung.
Howrah district will see 341 roads built within Bally Municipality, Uluberia Municipality and Howrah Municipal Corporation, with the civic body accounting for 157 roads.
In Nadia district, 70 roads will be constructed, including 46 under Gayeshpur Municipality and 24 under Kalyani Municipality. Under the fourth phase of Pathashree–Rastashree, a total of 20,030 km of roads will be constructed in rural and urban areas across the state. The project will benefit residents of 35,000 villages and 128 urban local bodies, with an expenditure of Rs 8,487.83 crore to be borne entirely by the state government.
According to Banerjee, execution of the project is expected to generate over 15 crore mandays through job card holders. Separately, the Panchayats and Rural Development department has received sanction this year to construct 1,759.619 km of bituminous roads using plastic waste under the scheme.