Precautionary measures prevent inundation in Salt Lake, New Town

Kolkata: While Kolkata became heavily waterlogged due to heavy rainfall, causing inconvenience for commuters, Salt Lake along with Sector V and New Town roads were normal as the concerned civic bodies took several

precautionary measures.

The heavy rainfall since early Friday morning threw daily life out of gear. Usually after a heavy downpour, Sector V under the Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) gets waterlogged. Taking lessons from such previous instances, NDITA had started taking precautionary measures following the weather office alert about the

cyclonic storm ‘Dana’.

Initially a review was done and the sewerage lines were checked. It was found that problems might occur in those areas where Metro construction work is afoot. Accordingly, several manual pumps were arranged and kept ready. As soon as water started accumulating in those areas, the pumps were used to clear the stagnant water. Although water accumulated in the College More area, it was cleared within a short period of time. “We were well prepared and took precautionary measures. The pumps were active and were made functional as soon as the rain started,” said an NDITA official. In Salt Lake, no major water logging issues were found except for rain water accumulation in the craters and potholes

on the roads. However, waterlogging was seen in Sukantanagar under Ward 35 of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC). To clear the roads there, several pumps were used. Massive waterlogging in Haldirams and its adjoining areas persisted. BMC tried using pumps to drain out the water.

However, due to the Metro construction work a portion of the VIP Road has been cordoned off and the sewerage line is also choked. “Though the area is not our jurisdiction, we coordinated with the Public Works Department (PWD) which maintains the VIP Road. A meeting is expected to be called soon with the Metro authority over the issue,” said

a BMC official.