West Bengal’s road makeover has expanded beyond Kolkata to Asansol and other districts, with colourful road and bridge painting being carried out for the Durga Puja season. State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul said on Tuesday that the work did not use government funds and was supported by paint companies and corporate social responsibility funding.
The festive makeover includes large alpana designs on roads in Kolkata and fresh painting on locations including Red Road, Beleghata and the Gariahat flyover. Similar rainbow-coloured treatments are being undertaken on roads in Asansol and other parts of the state. Chandannagar-style lighting is also planned along a stretch from Bhagat Singh More in Asansol, according to the report.
The initiative has prompted questions about the public value and funding of decorative road works, particularly as roads across cities and towns also require regular maintenance. Opposition parties and social media users questioned whether taxpayer money was being used for the programme. Paul rejected that allegation, saying that no money from the state treasury had been spent on the painting and lighting work.
The minister said the support came from paint companies and CSR funds. Her explanation, as reported by Sangbad Pratidin, linked the work to the state’s effort to clean and visually improve cities before the festival. She compared the exercise with households cleaning and repainting their homes ahead of Durga Puja and said maintaining urban areas was also a responsibility of residents.
Paul also connected her earlier experience as a fashion designer with the idea of visually improving public spaces. She said the colourful work on roads and bridges was intended to add to the festive atmosphere. The report said residents had responded positively, although the spending and funding questions have continued to generate debate.
The same visit to Asansol included announcements on two road projects. The foundation stone was laid for a new road between Chitra and Santa Bridge. The project has been allocated Rs 2.5 crore, and construction is expected to begin after the Puja celebrations. Before the main work starts, a Puja-special patchwork project costing Rs 17 lakh is planned for the route.
A second foundation stone was laid for the construction of the road popularly known as the 60-foot road in Asansol’s Ismail area. The project cost has been placed at Rs 1 crore. According to the report, the road had remained largely unpaved for about 40 years, with only boulders laid on the surface, despite being located within the city.
The announcements combine two different urban priorities: short-term festive beautification and long-delayed basic road construction. While the makeover is being presented as privately supported, the two Asansol road projects involve stated public allocations and separate construction timelines. The main construction on the Chitra–Santa Bridge route is scheduled to begin after the festival, while the Ismail-area road project now awaits implementation following the foundation ceremony.
