Rain forecast puts Kolkata Municipal Corporation focus on EMB pockets

KOLKATA: Though the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is taking comprehensive measures to prevent severe waterlogging, the focus will be on vast stretches of EM Bypass and the Behala-Joka belt in the wake of a rain alert sounded by the Alipore weather office.
The KMC drainage department has been asked to keep ready adequate portable pumps to flush out storm water from large stretches of Mukundapur, Nayabad, Panchasayar, Madurdaha, and parts of Patuli.
Residents of these areas experienced a deluge in the beginning of this week. Though the storm water receded a couple of days ago, residents are scared of the rain alert that might inundate these Bypass neighbourhoods again. “We have arranged for portable pumps to flush out storm water from low-lying areas in the event of heavy showers. This will give some relief to residents of Mukundapur, Madurdaha, Panchasayar and Nayabad,” said a KMC drainage department official.
However, the official conceded it would be an uphill task to give immediate relief to the residents as these areas don’t have a drainage network. “If it rains heavily on Tuesday, the residents will have to suffer waterlogging for at least a couple of days even if we press into service portable pumps. We also need a prolonged dry spell to flush out storm water,” the official said.
Similar arrangements have been made for residents of Joka and low-lying areas of Behala. Keeping in mind the rain alert, the KMC and Kolkata cops have decided to set up some makeshift shelters for residents of remote areas in Garden Reach, Behala, Joka, Garia and Bypass. “If needed, we may have to shift people from low-laying areas to these camps,” an official said.
The KMC drainage department is keeping all heavy-duty pumps ready at major drainage pumping stations to drain storm water fast in the event of severe waterlogging. A section of the KMC sewerage and drainage department officials is also worried about perennial waterlogging-prone spots, like Thanthania, Amherst Street, MG Road, Beliaghata, Chittaranjan Avenue, Sukia Street, Bowbazar Street, Camac Street, AJC Bose Road, Bhowanipore, Harish Mukherjee Road, Kidderpore, Gariahat, Jodhpur Park, Lake Gardens and Golf Green, among others.
“Accordingly, we have alerted executive engineers of Ultadanga, Maniktala, Beerpara (Belgachhia), Palmer Bridge (Beliaghata), Thanthania, Ballygunge, Jodhpur Park, Topsia and Mominpore drainage pumping stations. All heavy-duty pumps are ready to drain rain water,” an official said.