Kolkata: State Public Works Department (PWD) minister Pulak Roy announced a dedicated WhatsApp number (9088822111) on Thursday for citizens and legislators to report potholes on roads under PWD’s jurisdiction, promising repairs within 48 hours.
The announcement was made during a discussion on the 4th report of the Standing Committee on PWD and Public Health Engineering (2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25) at the state Assembly.
Roy emphasised that a comprehensive book detailing district-wise roads maintained by PWD has been circulated among state legislators. Additionally, the PWD website lists all roads under its authority, ensuring transparency and accessibility for the public.
“With the monsoon season approaching, we urge MLAs and common citizens to report potholes by uploading pictures to the WhatsApp number 9088822111. Our department commits to addressing these issues within 48 hours,” Roy said. To avoid confusion about road ownership, PWD has installed signages stating: “This road belongs to PWD” at various points along its road stretches.
Roy clarified that multiple state and Central agencies are responsible for road maintenance and complainants must ensure the reported road falls under PWD’s jurisdiction to avoid misdirected complaints. He also used the platform to criticise the Central government for failing to adhere to the 50:50 funding ratio for Railway overbridges (ROBs).
He pointed out that the state independently funded the construction of the Majerhat Bridge at a cost of Rs 295 crore and the Hemanta Setu (Tala Bridge) at Rs 504 crore, both spanning Railway tracks without Central assistance.
Since 2011, the PWD has made significant strides in infrastructure development, improving 32,900 km of roads and constructing 305 bridges across the state. The department has also built 19 ROBs and rejuvenated over 600 bridges, with a cumulative expenditure of Rs 48,550 crore.
Additionally, the Road and Building Research Institute at Pailan, South 24-Parganas, has achieved NABL accreditation, making it the second such institute in eastern India to receive this recognition. Roy underscored these achievements as part of PWD’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the state’s infrastructure.