Howrah road repair work has begun under a ₹25 crore programme covering 100 roads across the city, with the Howrah Municipal Corporation and the Public Works Department expected to complete the work before the upcoming Puja season, according to a report by Sangbad Pratidin – Bengal.
The repair programme was formally launched at the Howrah Municipal Corporation’s Maidan area on September 26. Agnimitra Paul, identified in the report as the state urban development and municipal affairs minister, attended the ceremony along with senior officials and elected representatives. The launch included a religious ceremony and the breaking of a coconut before work began at different locations.
The programme follows complaints from residents about pothole-ridden roads and daily travel difficulties in several parts of Howrah. The report said the poor condition of roads had also contributed to public anger and traffic congestion in the city. Road repairs had been promised earlier by the chief minister and the urban development department, with work now beginning after a reduction in monsoon intensity.
According to the report, the programme will cover 100 roads and involve an allocation of approximately ₹25 crore. The work is intended to include repairs to damaged roads as well as construction of new road surfaces in areas where existing stretches have deteriorated. Specific road names, the length of each stretch and the contractor details were not provided in the report.
The state minister said the deterioration had resulted from the previous administration’s failure to carry out road repairs, according to the report. That political allegation could not be independently assessed from the supplied material. The immediate administrative focus, officials said, is to complete the programme before Puja and reduce the difficulties faced by residents and commuters.
The report said the Public Works Department and the Howrah Municipal Corporation would work continuously to meet the deadline. Authorities are also keeping watch over individual works, although the report did not specify the monitoring system, quality standards or penalties for delays.
Several officials attended the launch, including Umesh Rai, legislator from North Howrah and minister of state in the urban development department; Bali legislator Sanjay Singh; Howrah district magistrate P. Deepapriya; and Howrah municipal commissioner Tejasvi Rana. Senior municipal and police officials were also present.
The start of the programme places the focus on execution: whether all 100 roads are taken up as announced, whether the ₹25 crore allocation is spent transparently and whether the work is completed before the stated Puja deadline. The supplied report does not provide a detailed project schedule or information on post-repair maintenance arrangements.
