KMC to take up over Rs 58 cr drainage project to rid 7 wards of waterlogging

Kolkata: In a bid to rid seven wards of waterlogging woes, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has given the final nod for upgradation and refurbishment of brick sewer along areas under Boroughs V, VI and VII at a cost of over Rs 58.12 crore.

According to KMC, the project will help increase the capacity of sewage flow in areas such as Elliot Road, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, Nirmal Chandra Street, Old Court House Street, Chowringhee Road, Elgin Road etc.

For the same, the KMC has decided to desilt the brick sewer passing through these areas which is not in a good condition. The wards which are to benefit from such a project are: 47, 51, 52, 53, 61, 62 and 63 respectively in the case of Elliot Road (the stretch from the junction of AJC Bose Road to the junction of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road).

At Kidwai Road it is the stretch from the junction of Park Street to Lenin Sarani junction and at Nirmal Chandra Street, it is from the junction of Lenin Sarani to BB Ganguly Street junction.

Such wards suffer from waterlogging during low to moderate rain. It is expected that following the completion of the project, the hydraulic capacity of the sewer will increase, solving the inundation issue in the catchment area. The civic body had prepared a detailed project report which got approval from Mayor Firhad Hakim and the municipal commissioner.

It was learnt that the project will cost over Rs 58.12 crore. The fund will be provided by the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department.

In an article published in March 31, Millennium Post reported that the civic body approved a proposal to carry out an overhaul of the British-era brick sewer at BB Ganguly Street in central Kolkata at a cost of Rs 38.30 crore approximately.

The KMC intends to execute a thorough refurbishment through desilting and by providing glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) lining to the sewer.