Kolkata: A day after TOI reported about scaffoldings becoming potential hazards during the storm, KMC and Kolkata Police went into overdrive, removing such bamboo structures and barricades from 650 spots, so they do’t become potential accident hazards during Cyclone Dana. The structures, erected for pandals and banners during Durga Puja and Kali Puja, pose a risk to both road users and train passengers.
Cops said they learnt from a recent incident on Bypass when a flex fell, with commuters narrowly escaping death.
“Our officers on the ground identified spots across Behala, Bypass and SP Mukherjee Road, among others, and informed KMC. Where our DMG team thought there was real threat, we employed our own teams instead of waiting for decorators to turn up,” said an officer.
Residents of Kasba and Behala, however, reported that several pandals partially blocking lanes were yet to be dismantled. “We have asked the organisers to take some responsibility,” said Behala resident Sarnatha Bose.
However, the KMC finds it an uphill task to dismantle pandals and makeshift bamboo structures erected for banners. Though Debasish Kumar, the MMiC overseeing the KMC advertisement department, said efforts were on to dismantle all such structures, he admitted it was a Herculean task for the civic body to finish removing these structures within the deadline. “We started the task on Tuesday and work will go on until the workers get fair weather. But we need more time and manpower,” said Kumar.
According to norms, while the KMC civil engineering department will need to clear pandal stuctures from pavements and roads, the parks department is responsible for dismantling the bamboo structures erected for banners. A KMC official said they were worried about the bamboo structures erected on both sides of major roads and bridges. “Though we have started dismantling bamboo structures from thoroughfares, most won’t be removed in time. Structures on both sides of Dhakuria Bridge or Durgapur Bridge have been a cause for concern,” the official said.
Individual organisers also swung into action, removing as many advertisement structures as possible.