Kolkata: Bypass craters reappear just one week after repair

KOLKATA: Patchwork repair carried out on several stretches of Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in the past week has been washed away by rain, laying bare craters that now pose threats to motorists.
One of the stretches is along the Science City-bound flank of Bypass, between Ruby crossing and Tagore Park, where numerous craters have developed that can be dangerous for bikers, especially at night, a traffic cop said.

The Avishikta intersection has turned into one of the worst stretches, where the KMDA carried out patchwork repairs this week. But potholes surfaced soon after, making it dangerous for motorists to negotiate. The traffic not only comes to a halt on a 200m stretch, but major accidents could also take place at night, traffic cops fear. A cop on duty at Avishikta crossing expressed concern about bikers who, he felt, especially faced the risk of falling down after hitting the large craters filled with rainwater.
“Every biker is at risk here, with the patchwork being washed away by rain. I have seen a few bikers escape major accidents after their two-wheelers fell into large craters near the intersection,” he said. A visit by TOI revealed that a stretch of road close to Avishikta intersection has broken up and developed as many as 20 craters.
At the stretch near Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI), potholes have surfaced after the bitumin layer was washed off the road. The stretch, dotted with slabs used for the Metro construction, has poor lighting, which has made it a killer road for bikers.
Arjit Pal, a resident of Mukundapur, had a narrow escape from being crushed under a private bus last weekend when his bike skidded after hitting a large crater. “It was a nightmarish experience and I consider myself lucky to be alive. I have decided to avoid this particular stretch for now,” Pal said.
Another portion of Bypass that suffers from the same problem was the one near Singhabari. A 50m part has broken down after repairs were carried out by KMDA last week. An employee of a retail chain major located close to the stretch complained that road had become one of the most accident-prone ones in absence of proper monitoring by traffic cops. “During the day, bikers can ply somehow, but at night it becomes highly unsafe for them,” the employee said.
A KMDA official said a thorough repair would be carried out once the monsoon was over. “For now, we will do patchwork repair of various Bypass stretches as and when required,” he said.