KMC to agencies: Plug death holes on roads immediately after work
Times of India | 15 July 2024
12 Kolkata: A day after the body of a woman — who had ‘accidentally’ fallen into a pit on Kashi Bose Lane last week— was recovered, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) alerted all agencies on Sunday to plug the gaps immediately on dug-up roads after completion of any repair or restoration work.
At Kashi Bose Lane, officials found that the water supply department had completed the pipeline work by July 9, but hadn’t repaired the same, which led to the accident.TOI found even on Sunday the stretch wasn’t repaired. Rather, it was randomly filled up with loose soil and two guardrails were placed on top to prevent any further accident.
“As per rule, the agency undertaking the road digging-up work has to repair and restore the stretch immediately after completion of the same. If they fail to do so, they are liable to punishment,” said a senior KMC official.
Even on Sunday, TOI found multiple dug-up stretches, which haven’t been barricaded, at various places in the city. At Beckbagan Row, a stretch of road has been dug-up for more than two months for a water supply pipeline installation project. “There is no work for two days due to Muharram but the authorities have kept the area open. One side of the pit has been demarcated with barricade tapes. But, there are no larger barricades covering the mouth in front of the pit,” said a local resident at Beckbagan.
A similar pit was also found on the road behind Milan Mela premises off EM Bypass. The KMC Roads department gives NOC to dig up roads on the main thoroughfares, while the civil engineering department is responsible for giving NOC to works on lanes and alleys.
“If the entire width of the road has to be dug up in an alley or lane, the agency with the help of Kolkata Police has to put up warning boards and block movement along the entire stretch. In case half or quarter width of the road is dug-up, the agency has to barricade the dug-up portion with guardrails and other materials to ensure no one can get in there. We have reminded the rules to all the concerned agencies,” said the official.