Kolkata: Traffic remained slow across Kolkata on Saturday but the worst affected area remained Mominpore where cops had to request RVNL to carry out work on the road on a SOS basis for temporary relief.
Among the spots to be affected due to bad condition of roads also include spots around VIP Bazar on EM Bypass, the entire stretch between Chiria More and Tala Bridge, the stretch between Kidderpore and Ekbalpore and again Behala Market on DH Road, Burdwan Road and a portion of Strand Road.
Among areas where traffic slowed down due to waterlogging in the morning were Patipukur underpass, Dum Dum underpass, Ekbalpore, MG Road and a portion of CR Avenue.
However, for the entire day, the focus remained on the Mominpore stretch where cops had to introduce fouling – both from Majerhat on one side and Mayurbhanj on the other – through most of the day. Fouling is allowing vehicles from the opposite flank to use one flank.
The decision, claimed Lalbazar, was taken to ensure that the huge flow of traffic from Behala towards central Kolkata was not hindered due to the metro construction on DH Road between Mominpore and Mayurbhanj. The area was witnessing traffic jams, especially in the evenings, before both police and RVNL took corrective measures.
“The flank from Mominpore to Kidderpore is in a very bad shape. We are worried about accidents. We have had joint inspections with KMC and RVNL. But nothing moved. Hence, we were forced to act and ask RVNL to pitch in on Saturday. Repair work was also started. Now we have received calls from KMC saying they want to put fresh pitch on the road. The normal 10 minute commute from Majerhat to Mayurbhanj is taking close to 25 minutes now in peak hours,” claimed an officer.
Elsewhere in the city, several stretches of the city’s major roads have developed potholes after spells of continuous rain, conceded a KMC roads department official.