States » EastPosted at: Oct 1 2026 6:55PM


West Bengal to repair 3,081 roads at Rs 1,000 crore-cost ahead of Durga Puja: Agnimitra Paul

Kolkata, Oct 1 (UNI) The West Bengal government is going to repair 3,081 roads under multiple urban local bodies, including municipalities, municipal corporations and development authorities, ahead of Durga Puja, the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department Minister Agnimitra Paul said on Thursday.
According to her, the cost of road repairs is likely to touch Rs 1,000 crore.
The state government has set October 10 as the deadline for completing the repairs, following a directive from Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, while contractors undertaking road projects will be held liable for defects for five years, she said.
Of the roads being taken up, 2,381 fall under 121 municipalities, involving Rs 483.84 crore, while 894 roads under seven municipal corporations account for Rs 282.83 crore, besides an additional Rs 63 lakh. Another 106 works under eight development authorities involve Rs 71.40 crore, Paul said.
"Some roads are still in poor condition because the rain is making it difficult to carry out the work. But every department has got down to work, and I assure you that every road will be repaired before October 10," the minister said.
The Chief Minister had directed the departments concerned around one-and-a-half to two months ago to repair all pothole-ridden and damaged roads across Kolkata and the state before Mahalaya, she said.
Paul said Adhikari held a review meeting with the departments concerned on Wednesday evening, involving Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, Public Works, the Port and the Railways, to expedite the work.
"A quick-fix method has been introduced which can be used even during the monsoon without any difficulty. We have already procured the materials needed fot the quick-fix method to repair the roads from outisde the state. The Chief Minister has said that if necessary, work should be carried out at night under lights so that all the roads are repaired," she said.
The minister said roads under the Railways, Port authorities and National Highways would also be covered through coordination with the respective agencies, as the state PWD could not undertake repairs on roads outside its jurisdiction.
"The National Highways authorities were also present virtually at our meeting. They, too, have been asked to look into the matter," she said.
Paul said tenders for some stretches were still being processed, but work would begin within the next few days.
"If you still see roads in poor condition in certain places, the tenders are being processed and work will begin within the next few days. But I give you my word that every road will be repaired before October 10," she said.
In a move aimed at ensuring road durability beyond the immediate festive-season repairs, the government will "strictly" enforce a five-year Defect Liability Period for contractors, making them responsible for rectifying defects that emerge during the stipulated period without additional payment, Paul addrd.
"If the road deteriorates during this guarantee period, the contractor will have to repair it free of cost. That is the Defect Liability Period," Paul said.
She alleged that previous Trinamool Congress government in the state did not fall back on this.
"Instead of holding the contractors liable, they would call for fresh tenders and offer them to contractors in lieu of cut money every six months. Imagine the level of corruption. This will not happen on our watch. The corrupt leaders of the TMC pocketed the cut money as they were least bothered about the taxpayers and extending proper civic services. The former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the former mayor of Kolkata Firhad Hakim did not take any action against these malpractices," Paul said.
The minister also appealed to residents to report damaged roads in their neighbourhoods through the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department's grievance cell or the Chief Minister's grievance platform, 'Sarkar Apnar Pashe'.
"We will take immediate action," she said.
Roads across the city are cratered and filled with potholes. These not only make driving or riding in the city risky for motorists, but pedestrians too remain at risk of getting hurt.
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Tags: #West Bengal to repair 3#081 roads at Rs 1#000 crore-cost ahead of Durga Puja: Agnimitra Paul
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