The Times of India  27.08.2010

KOLKATA: Monsoon is not yet over. Spells of rain over t he last month have wrecked havoc on stretches of the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, turning these spots into a motorist's nightmare. While innumerable potholes dot stretches between Garia and Parama Island, construction work is on for a flyover opposite Science City. Accidents are frequent in the stretch between Parama Island and Ruby General Hospital.

Take the case of Anirban Sen. He was riding pillion on a friend's motorcycle, which turned on its side near Parama Island a month ago at a huge pothole. The businessman's right leg was fractured and he was confined to home for a fortnight. Two passengers of a Salt Lake-bound CTC bus were hurt at the same spot when the bus fell into a large crater.

Frequent accidents have occurred on the Bypass in the past one and a half months, thanks to lack of road maintenance by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). For three years, KMDA has been toying with relaying the entire 17-km EM Bypass with mastic asphalt. The work, however, could not start as the KMDA brass has been waiting for the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project to take off.

"Under the project, the Bypass will be widened and its surface strengthened. The dynamic nature of the bypass, coupled with indecision over the BRTS project, has delayed a proper overhaul," said a senior KMDA official said.

According to a KMDA official, the cost of laying a road that crumbles during the monsoon is around Rs 100 per square metre. Paving it with mastic asphalt that has a five-year guarantee is Rs 400 per square metre. For National Highway specifications, it is even higher. With trucks banned from plying on the bypass, officials

expect that a city road of highway standards should last at

least 10 years after repairs. Hence, they say it makes sense to spend more on a durable surface than undertake patchwork that gets washed away.

"Does that mean KMDA won't undertake even routine repairs for months," wondered Rajat Mitra, a resident of Rail Vihar along the bypass. "This road is supposed to be one of Kolkata's arterial roads. With a number of big housing projects coming up on the EM Bypass, the state government and the KMC should concentrate on infrastructure development, which includes re-laying of the road properly," Mitra said. KMDA officials concede that EM Bypass was lying in extremely poor shape for want of comprehensive repairs for several years. KMDA director-general Debdas Bhattacharya said: "I have asked officials to repair stretches of the bypass that have potholes. I will see if any stretch of the road needs urgent repair," Bhattacharya said. Dearth of bitumen last year resulted in poor upkeep of the bypass, particularly in the stretch between Garia and the Park Circus connector.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) feels the perennial problems of the bypass could be solved only if the road is handed over to the civic body. "After assuming office, I told KMDA authorities that KMC wanted to take over the road and relay the entire stretch with mastic asphalt. We also need to have advertisements correctly displayed by hoarding agencies along EM Bypass. I haven't received an answer to my proposal," said KMC's MMiC (roads) Firhad Hakim. Senior KMDA official said the KMC proposal is being discussed at the highest level.