Pune Anticipates Increased Rainfall After Week Of Subdued Monsoon Activity
Following a week of relentless monsoon rain, Kolkata has begun emergency repairs on several severely damaged roads, with the civic body aiming to complete temporary fixes by Tuesday. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is conducting overnight pothole-filling operations across key arterial stretches such as EM Bypass and Diamond Harbour Road. While the measures are temporary, civic officials say dry weather in the coming days is critical to completing the work. Residents, however, are demanding longer-term solutions to the city’s recurring road degradation.
According to senior KMC engineers, patchwork operations began late Friday and are expected to continue over the weekend into Monday night. Officials have stated that the goal is to stabilise road conditions by Tuesday—provided there is no further rain. These short-term repairs involve the application of hot bituminous mix to fill potholes and prevent further surface damage. However, these interventions fall short of complete resurfacing, which the civic body usually undertakes during the dry winter season. Residents across Behala, Patuli, and areas near Hiland Park have raised alarms over worsening road conditions, particularly near the northern slope of the Baghajatin rail overbridge. In one instance, a 70-metre stretch near the EM Bypass saw such severe damage that vehicles were forced to crawl through, triggering a traffic queue that extended over half a kilometre.
Commuters have complained of travel delays lasting up to 40 minutes to cross a single stretch, sparking frustration and renewed demands for timely civic response. The KMC acknowledged that drainage issues in some areas have exacerbated the road degradation. In the Hiland Park zone, for instance, poor water discharge has led to prolonged waterlogging, weakening the road surface and accelerating the formation of potholes. Officials stated that permanent repair will only begin once the drainage system is rectified to avoid repeated damage. For pedestrians, especially senior citizens, the damaged and uneven roads pose daily safety risks. With patchwork only serving as a short-term measure, civic observers argue that a structural rethinking of road engineering and stormwater drainage is necessary. Many city roads continue to lack proper slope design, which contributes to water stagnation and asphalt erosion during every monsoon cycle.
While the KMC’s overnight efforts to temporarily fill potholes are being welcomed in the short term, citizens and urban experts alike insist on a more comprehensive, climate-resilient approach to urban mobility infrastructure. Without stronger materials, regular audits, and coordinated drainage management, Kolkata’s roads will remain vulnerable to seasonal collapse year after year.
