Kolkata Roads Turn Perilous as Monsoon Exposes Neglect
With each passing day of the monsoon, roads across Kolkata are deteriorating into dangerous, crater-filled stretches, turning the daily commute into a hazardous ordeal for thousands of bikers and motorists. Persistent rainfall has worsened an already grim road condition across vital routes like Park Circus Connector, Diamond Harbour Road, and VIP Road, where potholes and broken surfaces now threaten lives and livelihoods. As commuters slow down to dodge invisible ditches submerged under water, city infrastructure experts warn that poor drainage, delayed maintenance, and unchecked heavy traffic are amplifying these risks and raising urgent questions about road safety and sustainable planning.
The Park Circus Connector, a key arterial route for eastern Kolkata, has become a nerve-wracking ride for bikers, who now swerve dangerously to avoid sudden potholes and damaged patches. The road surface here has disintegrated so thoroughly in parts that it vanishes beneath stagnant rainwater, leaving drivers guessing at what lies ahead. Several bikers have reported near-misses after slipping or being thrown off balance while navigating these treacherous sections. Traffic slows to a crawl during peak hours, yet no reliable detours exist. Civic workers have attempted patchwork repairs, but these have failed to endure under the continuous downpour. Daily commuters and delivery riders say the potholes reappear within days, worsening travel time and putting their safety on the line. Further along the city’s traffic arteries, areas between Ruby and Science City and the stretches of Christopher Road in Tangra have seen a similar decline. These routes, which once enabled relatively swift inter-neighbourhood travel, have now become sources of delay and distress. Officials from the city’s traffic department admit that rainwater pooling and structural neglect over the years have contributed to road erosion.
The damage is particularly severe where heavy trucks ply after dark, often worsening the surface under their weight. The consequences are visible during morning rush hour when vehicles inch past broken stretches, and tempers flare over the time lost. Commuters say they’ve had to factor in an additional 20–30 minutes for even short-distance trips, affecting work, school, and emergency access. Even VIP Road, one of Kolkata’s most significant connections to the airport, is far from immune. Large potholes have cropped up along its length, sparking anxiety among drivers, especially during early morning and night travel. Residents and daily drivers report not just delays but a persistent fear of tyre damage, skidding, and rear-end collisions, especially during low visibility. Several have demanded an audit of past repairs and greater accountability for poor quality materials and techniques. Meanwhile, some sustainable mobility experts argue that the city must shift from reactive, patch-based maintenance to eco-conscious, long-term surface solutions that can withstand seasonal rainfall patterns and increasing vehicular stress.
City authorities acknowledge the widespread damage and have attributed delays in repairs to continuous rains, claiming that permanent resurfacing is only possible during drier spells. However, public frustration continues to mount, with many residents calling for an urgent overhaul of Kolkata’s road engineering policies. Civic bodies face increasing scrutiny over planning lapses, including inadequate drainage, lack of preventive measures before the monsoon, and repeated use of materials unsuited for Kolkata’s flood-prone terrain. Sustainable infrastructure advocates stress the need to align Kolkata’s road repair strategies with climate-resilient urban planning that safeguards daily mobility and public safety.
