Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim had promised to repair all the city's roads before Puja. However, work has not even begun properly on many streets. The situation has been further complicated by Tuesday's low-pressure system. Multiple roads in Kolkata are waterlogged.
Another low-pressure system is expected soon, and doubts persist whether road repairs will happen at all before Puja. As a result, many citizens are apprehensive about road-related hardships during Puja due to the double whammy of low-pressure systems. Civic authorities assure that roads will be fixed as soon as the rain stops. Nevertheless, many city dwellers question, 'Why weren't repair initiatives taken earlier? Why was the work left pending till Puja?'
The roads in the Shivrampur area of Behala have been in a deplorable state for the past two months. The situation deteriorated to such an extent that school students were compelled to take to the streets in protest. They even resorted to road blockades. At that time, the police and administration had promised swift road repairs. However, complainants allege that this hasn't materialized in reality.
Although concrete layers have been laid on the roads, they haven't been tarred. The rain has caused these layers to come off in various places, amplifying the danger. Local resident Samiran Chakraborty says, 'This road has become a daily torment. Many women and children commute through here. An accident could occur at any moment. It's also risky for transporting patients. The situation will become even more dangerous with such rainfall.'
Raju Mondal from Behala questions, 'Why should road work be left pending for Puja? This could have been done two months ago.'
The situation is similar on many roads in Thakurpukur, Mominpur, Alipore, and other parts of South Kolkata. Several sections of the EM Bypass and various other areas are in the same condition. Patches have indeed been applied to some roads before Mahalaya. However, with the way the city's roads were submerged on Tuesday, there are fears that even these repairs might wash away. On top of that, there's another forecast for a low-pressure system. All in all, the roads are also adding to the worries.
