Transport & Irrigation depts to hold joint study on Hooghly River bank erosion

Kolkata: The Transport department has joined hands with the Irrigation department to conduct a study on the erosion of the banks of River Hooghly within the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) so necessary interventions can be made to fix the issue.

“It is an open secret that the silent erosion of the River Hooghly is affecting Kolkata and its adjacent areas. We have tied up with the Irrigation department and they are coming up with a term of reference which is expected to be ready by the end of this month.

We will subsequently rope in an agency which will do a detailed study of the river stretch from Tribeni in Hooghly to Raichak in South 24-Parganas to ascertain the causes and effect of river erosion and accordingly suggest intervention measures,” a senior official of the Transport department said.

The nature of erosion is not similar in all places. In some areas, it is occurring at the curve of the river while in other places the deposition of silt on one bank is causing erosion on the other side of the river. The encroachment of the banks with the accompanying destruction of the natural greenery is also contributing to the erosion, according to river experts.

Two ghats in Kolkata — Jagannath Ghat and Armenian Ghat — witnessed significant erosion in the recent past resulting in the apprehension that the service of the Circular Railway may be affected in the days to come if interventions are not made.

The embankments behind the multiple warehouses along Strand Bank Road have been badly damaged. The warehouses now stand within two metres of the river in some stretches. The stretch around Millenium Park has incurred severe damage. The erosion is also eating into the embankment at Nimtala Ghat, especially the steps of the ghat. In places like Titagarh, Khardah and Metiabruz (Kolkata Port area), silt deposition on one side of the river is causing erosion on the other side.

According to a senior official of the Transport department, funds will not be a major deterrent in addressing the issue of erosion as this will be integrated into the ‘Inland Water Transport and Modal Integration of Transport and Urban Upgradation’ project taken up by the

state government.

The total cost of the project is Rs 1021 crore, out of which the World Bank loan is to the tune of Rs 700 crore. The matter has already been discussed with officials from the World Bank in a recent meeting and they have offered some suggestions on this matter.