Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has carried out patchwork repairs on several battered roads across the city, including Narkeldanga Main Road and Chingrighata Road, in the past two days. The civic body is also filling up craters with bricks on Muktaram Babu Street and Sarkar Lane near Mechuabazar.
"For now, we are carrying out patchwork on the road near ITI. We have decided to repair the stretch with interlocking concrete blocks after Durga Puja. The installation of the concrete blocks involves the closure of the road for cutting and then levelling the surface," the official said.
"We have restored most of the battered roads in the city, and are still identifying other pockets that need repairs. We will also level the surface of Park Street near Allen Park, where a cave-in occurred due to a sewer leak last month," the official said.
The KMC has also undertaken road repairs near Milan Mela grounds, opposite Science City, with interlocking concrete blocks starting Thursday night, following an instruction from mayor Firhad Hakim. Riddled with potholes and craters, the uneven surface of the road has been causing inconvenience to commuters, motorists, and bikers ever since monsoon set in.
According to KMC officials, the mayor had passed through the area, after which, he instructed the chief engineer of the roads department and his team to inspect the spot. The civic team then started laying the interlocked concrete blocks.
A senior official of the roads department said, "We have done patchwork on the battered stretch near Science City. Now, work will start on the northern flank near Milan Mela grounds. The installation of the concrete blocks will take a few days, though the pace of the work depends on the rain.
"After the approach road of Howrah bridge, this will be the second road that the civic body is repairing with these concrete blocks. Earlier, the mayor held a meeting with officials of the roads department and PWD to discuss ways to make the expense of concrete block installation on a par with routine patchwork undertaken by the civic body earlier.
The official indicated that the Bypass stretches near Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Hiland Park, VIP Bazar, Avishikta crossing, and Ambedkar Bridge — where the civic body has done patchwork — would also be levelled with the interlocking concrete blocks after monsoon.