Water above and below: KMC faces twin challenges in road-repair race
Times of India | 6 August 2025
Kolkata: KMC engineers, repairing battered roads in the city, are faced with twin challenges: cratered surfaces amid heavy spells of rain and underground leakage of sewage and water pipelines, leading to cave-ins.
A civic roads department official pointed out that several stretches of EM Bypass that had been given a patchwork treatment had again sprung craters following the fresh round of showers. Such a stretch is the road between SRFTI and the Baghajatin flyover that has become so riddled with potholes that it poses risk for bikers, especially at night. Similar is the state of the section between the Ruby intersection and Panchannagram, especially after the downpour since Tuesday morning. "We are trying our best to take care of the battered EM Bypass stretches but frequent spells of rain are proving to be a spoiler. We are keeping our manpower and machines ready and waiting for a dry spell," said a KMC roads department official.
The other "struggle" for civic engineers are the cave-ins, caused by water pipe leakage or sewer line collapse. A part of Gariahat Road near ITI has developed major potholes. This very stretch had coincidentally witnessed repeated digging to repair leaks in underground water pipeline, a civic official said. "Each time a leak was detected, we let the water supply department plug the leak, and after completion of the repair, we took up restoration. Now we are again faced with the responsibility of repairing the road, which has sprung potholes," said a civic official.
The roads department is also waiting for the engineering department to hand over a stretch of Ballygunge Circular Road that caved in following drainage upgrade work. Motorists said a minor cave-in had occurred at the very spot a few months ago, but asphalt was poured over it to plug the subsidence. Over the past few days, the road gradually began to subside again. Following the Sunday night rain, a big chunk right in the middle of the carriageway sank in. After the section was cordoned off, there was just enough space for two cars to pass by at a time.
Ballygunge Circular Road is a preferred route for motorists travelling from south to central and north Kolkata, as a major section is one-way and there are fewer traffic lights, making it a faster route than Sarat Bose Road and Syed Amir Ali Avenue. "We have asked the KMC engineering department to wrap up the drainage work so that we can take up restoration at the earliest," said a senior KMC roads department official.