KMC to launch Kabitirtha drainage pumping station on Nov 12

KOLKATA: With Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) all set to launch Kabitirtha drainage pumping station on November 12, waterlogging woes in Kidderpore and its adjoining areas are expected to get mitigated.

"The work for the pumping station, which started in December 2019, is about to get completed. The finishing touches are going on. It is getting completed about two months ahead of its targeted deadline for completion, which is December 2021," a senior official of the

Drainage and Sewerage department of KMC, which is executing the project, said.

Kidderpore has been one of the major low lying areas in the city with accumulated water taking a much longer time to drain out in comparison to major parts of the city. In every rainy season, the local residents complain of inundation that persists for two to three days after a heavy spell of rain.

Firhad Hakim, chairman Board of Administrators of KMC who also happens to be the elected MLA from Kolkata Port where Kidderpore falls, had prodded for quick completion of the work considering the woes faced by the people of this area due to waterlogging. "Wards 75, 76 and parts of 77 that comprise Karl Marx Sarani, Dent Mission Row, Gopal Doctor Lane,Ramanath Pal Lane, Sudhir Bose Road, Ekbalopore Lane are some of the prominent low lying areas that will benefit from the project," added the official.

The pumping station that has entailed an investment of Rs 40 crore is fitted with four big pumps having capacity of 100 LPS (litre per second) each and the same number of small pumps with capacity of 50 LPS each.

The pumping station will drain out accumulated water into Tolly Nullah.

"The completion of the work in two years time was a challenge considering the COVID-19 pandemic situation and heavy rainfall that continued till the first week of October. However, we have been able to complete it before the deadline," the official said.