Broken benches and accumulated waste on the footpath opposite Mahakaran in central Kolkata are creating an unsafe and unusable public space for pedestrians, office workers and visitors to the government complex, according to a report by Bartaman Patrika – Kolkata.
The footpath is located opposite Mahakaran, where several government departments continue to operate and people regularly arrive for official work. The benches were earlier used by visitors waiting in the area, as well as drivers and police personnel taking short breaks. The report says the benches are now so damaged that they are no longer suitable for sitting.
The condition of the footpath stands in contrast to the decorative work carried out around the Mahakaran complex. The area has been fitted with lighting and greenery, but the long benches installed for pedestrians have not received the same level of maintenance, the report says. The benches were placed during an earlier redevelopment of the area under the previous Trinamool Congress government.
The report also describes mosquitoes and flies in the vicinity, along with scattered waste and rubbish. It says the footpath has become difficult to use, with people unable to sit or spend time there safely. The condition has raised questions among local users about the maintenance of a public space situated in Kolkata’s office district and near government institutions.
A state government officer told the newspaper that Mahakaran and the surrounding area would be further improved soon and said the issue was under observation. No specific repair schedule, agency responsible for the benches or cleaning deadline was provided in the report.
Subrata Das, who works as a clerk at a private office in the surrounding office district, said he had noticed the benches lying broken for some time and that immediate action was needed. Kajal Saha, who works as a typist, said the area had been decorated and contained government offices and a metro station, but questioned why the benches and cleanliness of the surrounding space were not being maintained.
The reported condition places a basic public-space function—providing a safe place to rest—alongside the larger upkeep requirements of a busy administrative district. The government officer’s statement indicates that improvement work is being considered, but the report does not specify when repairs, waste removal or pest-control measures will begin.
