Salt Lake residents band together to seek relief from mosquito menace, poor roads
Times of India | 31 December 2025
Kolkata: Looking ahead to a better and improved Salt Lake in the new year, the Association of Bidhannagar Citizens (ABC), a newly formed people's forum in Salt Lake, placed a 10-point charter of demands to the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation authorities on Tuesday.
It highlighted various civic issues, stressing the poor condition of roads, the overhead cable mess and inadequate streetlights, along with demands to improve the drainage system, mosquito control, and to provide a proper bus stand.
BMC officials said that the charter of demands was received. "We will go through them and look into the issues," said BMC mayor Krishna Chakraborty. The charter of demands was framed based on the discussions that took place at the citizens' convention organised by ABC on Nov 9. "We placed our charter of demands to the BMC commissioner, and he assured us that the issues will be looked after," said ABC secretary Ritesh Basak. The association members later met Chakraborty and discussed the issues.
The association demanded immediate repair of damaged roads in different blocks, mentioning that senior and elderly citizens are facing inconvenience while walking on the uneven road surface. "The civic authorities should comprehensively repair the potholes and craters. The worst-affected roads should undergo complete revamp. Besides, there should be regular maintenance to ensure the road surface remains durable," said Subrata Maitra, a resident.
Citizens of the township also demanded that there should be more street lights, with a regular maintenance schedule, which is necessary for the safety and security of residents. "It is often found that street lights are covered and obstructed by tree canopies," said a member.
Another issue the association raised is the overhead cable mess across the township. "The cable wires are lying in a haphazard and unorganised manner, wrapped around trees and light posts. These should be removed immediately," said another resident.
Among other issues raised by the association are the need to clean the Kestopur canal regularly to prevent mosquitoes, to provide more public bus services on different routes, and the need for systematic parking arrangements. "Presently, there are very few bus services, and many of the earlier bus routes are now non-existent. Transport and connectivity within Salt Lake mostly depend on rickshaws, autos and personal vehicles. Also, senior citizens often face problems crossing a divider, as there is not enough space. These issues should also be looked into," said a resident.