Airport commute a pain as craters lead to Belghoria E-way, VIP Rd snarls
Times of India | 30 July 2025
Kolkata: Traffic movement was severely disrupted on key arterial roads leading to the airport, with Belghoria Expressway and Jessore Road in the north and VIP Road in the south experiencing prolonged snarls due to potholes and damaged stretches on Tuesday. Craters, some spanning entire lanes, slowed down vehicles to a crawl, creating bottlenecks throughout the day.
An officer from the Bidhannagar Traffic Police confirmed that vehicle speed dropped to 10-15 kmph on these stretches. "Some gaps were temporarily filled using bricks and sand, but the damage is extensive, especially on Jessore Road and Belghoria Expressway where stretches deteriorated after continuous rainfall," the officer said.
The 8-km Belghoria Expressway, especially the stretch between Baranagar and airport, is among the worst hit. Motorists report being forced to nearly stop before navigating sections where craters cover the entire width of the road. The area near Baranagar metro station and Prafullanagar bus stand have emerged as trouble spots, with craters disrupting public transport.
Commuters have raised safety concerns on social media, highlighting how the expressway poses an accident risk and needs immediate repairs. "The Belghoria Expressway, particularly between Baranagar and airport, is in a deplorable condition," said Manoj Mundra, a daily commuter. Another rider, Joydeep Das, wrote on X: "Kind attention along with a fact-checking ride is requested towards the extremely poor condition of Belghoria Expressway/NH12 towards the airport stretch.
"Riders say during rains, the risks multiply as the craters get filled with water, making them tougher to detect. Soumyadeep Mukherjee, a Dakshineswar resident working in Sector V, said he replaced his car's suspension after hitting a pothole. Krishnendu Ghosh from Mathkal said he was thrown off bike while trying to avoid a crater. Cops said NHAI, responsible for the expressway's upkeep, is undertaking patchwork repairs, but they are getting washed away in the persistent rain.