Kolkata: The KMC sewerage and drainage department will keep all its drainage pumping stations ready during the puja days. The decision was taken at a meeting held at the KMC headquarters on Friday after mayor Firhad Hakim asked the civic officials to get prepared for showers before or during Durga Puja.
“We have asked our executive engineers in charge of the drainage pumping stations to keep all heavy-duty pumps ready to flush out storm water in case of rain during puja days.
The officials will be on duty during the festive days,” said a senior official.
Tarak Singh, MMiC overseeing the KMC sewerage and drainage department, said adequate arrangements were being made to ensure that storm water receded fast, especially from thoroughfares close to crowd-pulling puja pandals. “Besides keeping special gangs ready at the drainage pumping stations, our senior officials will monitor the waterlogging scenario from the control room in the KMC headquarters in case of heavy rain during the festive period,” said Singh.
However, a section of the KMC drainage department officials is worried about the low-lying zones and areas where a drainage upgrade project is underway. “We are concerned over some stretches of Garden Reach, Behala, Garia, Bansdroni and neighbourhoods off EM Bypass. We have asked our executive engineers in the borough to keep portable pumps ready,” said a KMC official.