Govt agencies working on war footing to rid city roads of potholes

Kolkata: Various agencies of the state government have started doing patchwork along the stretches of all the important roads in the city, where potholes have been created due to heavy showers for the past few days.

Incessant rain in the city and its adjoining areas have bared the skeletons of major roads, causing difficulties to the commuters, the bikers especially. Agencies like PWD, KMDA, KMC and others are taking all possible measures to repair the damaged portions of roads.

Diamond Harbour Road has also developed countless pockmarks as the rain has damaged the bituminous surface. The worst stretch of DH Road is near Behala Chowrasta, where craters are wide and deep. It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed Mayor Sovan Chatterjee to take necessary steps to repair the potholes on Diamond Harbour Road. Repair work has been started on DH Road on a war footing.

People commuting along the EM Bypass have been in precarious condition, particularly where the Metro Railway constructions have been going on. Areas where Metro construction is in progress have become a nightmare for the commuters. It may be mentioned here that the temporary patchworks do not last more than a few months. The state agencies are unable to re-lay the road due to the on-going construction of Metro Railways.

Around a 17 km stretch between Garia and Ultadanga, many potholes have been created due to heavy rain this season so far. People are witnessing a bumpy ride due to the bad condition of EM Bypass. It has become difficult for the agencies like PWD, KMDA to repair the potholes as the heavy rainfall is washing away the patchwork in various stretches.

In some stretches of Jessore Road, big craters have been created with the advent of monsoon in the state. Patchwork has begun to tackle the situation. According to the experts, many heavy duty trucks plying through Jessore Road everyday has been causing uneven pressure on the road. The situation is common for other roads as well.

The incessant rain has further complicated the situation as water percolates down to the bottom of the road and damages it. Patchworks do not always necessarily provide the permanent solution, felt the experts.

State Urban Development minister Firhad Hakim said that in most of the parts of the city and its adjoining areas the soil is soft, as a result of which it gets washed away during heavy rain. Due to such incidents, roads often cave in.