With the monsoon approaching and events such as the ruling party’s Martyrs’ Day scheduled to be held in the city on July 21, Lalbazar Headquarters of the Kolkata Police has instructed all the traffic guards to send inputs on battered roads in their areas so a comprehensive report can be sent to the government agencies for repair works.
It is learnt that the measure by the Lalbazar HQ has also come in the wake of state government agencies asking it to identify the battered roads which have potholes and are posing a threat to pedestrians and vehicular traffic.
All traffic guards have been intimated to send in inputs so a comprehensive report can be sent to Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority, Public Works Department and the Kolkata Port authorities.
The measure is also being seen as the initial step toward starting repair works for the upcoming Durga Puja but in the meantime, the Trinamool Congress’s Martyrs’ Day programme is scheduled to be held in the third week of this month. Every year, a dais is built at the heart of Esplanade while lakhs of supporters pour into the city from districts to attend the programme.
The instruction to traffic guards required sending reports on both main roads and lanes. It is learnt that already inputs have been sent from 25 traffic guards to Lalbazar. Several of the city roads need repair as puddles have already started to appear after the initial bout of rainfall in the city. The police headquarters is of the opinion that traffic guards are appropriate for such a task since they are deployed throughout the city manning vehicular traffic.
A KMC source said that the civic body is already working on some of the roads in the city, especially ones that comprise the routes that will be taken by a sea of people to reach the heart of the city on July 21. Areas near the Sealdah and Howrah metro stations are seen brimming with people on this date every year.
It is learnt that the civic body has also requested the cops to send them inputs about battered roads. Mayor Firhad Hakim has said that the civic body has acquired milling machines which are being used to level the undulated road surfaces in the city.