Kolkata Road Repairs: With the monsoon rains easing momentarily, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has begun urgent road repair work across multiple major roads and neighbourhoods. The damage from persistent rains—manifested in deep potholes, cratered surfaces, and flooded patches—had brought several parts of the city to a near standstill in recent weeks. Now, with clearer skies, the civic body is moving swiftly to restore key thoroughfares.
Emergency Repairs Across the City
Repair work began overnight on VIP Road, MG Road, CR Avenue, BBD Bagh, Amherst Street, BB Ganguly Street, APC Roy Road, Alipore Road, and Tollygunge Circular Road. Additional sites including NSC Bose Road, Diamond Harbour Road, and stretches in Behala are scheduled for repair depending on weather stability.
KMC has also launched repair operations on Biren Roy Road (West), where residents and commuters had raised repeated complaints over road safety and disruptions. Work in these zones is being done under emergency protocols using quick-fix materials like paver blocks and debris in place of hot-mix, which requires dry weather.
Alternative Methods to Beat Monsoon Disruption
Due to the unpredictability of rain, KMC has adopted temporary repair techniques. Paver blocks and solid waste fill are being used at severely damaged zones like Park Circus Connector (Bridge No. 4) and parts of VIP Road to ensure that vehicular movement can continue safely.
While these stop-gap measures do not provide long-term solutions, they are being prioritized to address dangerous conditions and improve traffic flow until permanent repairs are feasible.
Commuter Concerns: VIP Road & Airport Access
One of the most affected routes, VIP Road, which connects the city to the airport, had become nearly unmotorable with massive craters and waterlogging. As a result, airlines had begun issuing alerts advising flyers to leave at least three hours early to reach the airport on time.
Similarly, EM Bypass was severely affected near Chingrighata and Captain Bheri crossings. However, night-time repair crews have since addressed several problem zones on this stretch, providing much-needed relief.
Resurfacing Work Pending Until Dry Spell
According to KMC officials, long-term repairs using hot-mix bitumen will resume only after at least seven days of dry weather. Two KMC-operated hot-mix plants at Goragacha and Palmer Bazar are currently on standby, ready to restart operations as soon as the monsoon subsides enough to allow high-quality resurfacing work.
Mayor Firhad Hakim has stated that all major routes in the city will be fully repaired within three days of consistent dry weather.
Areas Awaiting Intervention
A number of roads across north and south Kolkata continue to show signs of wear and collapse. In Behala, areas like Motilal Gupta Road, MG Road (near Thakurpukur), and Diamond Harbour Road are awaiting repairs. Craters and patchy surfaces on these roads have led to minor accidents and frequent traffic jams.
Local students recently staged a protest on Biren Roy Road (West) demanding immediate repairs, citing safety concerns and the risk of injury. KMC has now prioritized this stretch in its ongoing action plan.
Coordination with Other Departments
While KMC is leading most of the repair efforts, some roads fall under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Kolkata Port Trust. This overlap has delayed action in certain areas, such as Coal Berth Road, where KMC is awaiting clearance before proceeding.
Kolkata Traffic Police has also been involved in this effort, providing night-time support for traffic management during repair operations and sending reports to KMC highlighting the most critical road sections needing attention.
Kolkata Road Repairs: What Residents Can Expect
- Temporary patchwork will continue using paver blocks and debris on rain-hit roads.
- Night-time repair teams are actively working on EM Bypass, APC Road, DH Road, and Behala stretches to avoid daytime congestion.
- Full-scale hot-mix resurfacing will begin when dry weather allows.
- Airport-bound commuters are advised to plan for delays along VIP Road until permanent repairs are complete.
External Links (Official Sources)
- Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)
- Public Works Department, West Bengal
- Kolkata Traffic Police
- Airport Authority of India – Kolkata Airport
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