Flooding-prone areas in central, N Kol look for KMC budget relief

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation will take up a comprehensive drainage upgrade project for the worst waterlogging pockets of north and central Kolkata to give residents relief from inundation every monsoon.According to a KMC official, a Rs 200-plus crore sewerage and drainage development plan for large parts of north and central Kolkata will be taken up to save lakhs of residents from severe waterlogging. According to plans indicated in the KMC budget for the financial year (2026-27), the civic body will take up the refurbishment of the 148-year-old underground sewer line from Moulali to Palmer Bridge drainage pumping station. This brick sewer, with a 2,400 mm diameter, is set to undergo a major revamp. After completion of the sewer refurbishment and rehabilitation project, over 10 lakh people across 30 KMC wards will be spared flooding during monsoons, said a KMC official.
Since the capacity of the underground ‘trunk' sewer line will be enhanced after the special desilting project, the KMC sewerage and drainage department decided to upgrade Palmer Bridge drainage pumping station to take the extra load of storm water from several north and central Kolkata neighbourhoods. "We decided to set up two major pumps at the drainage pumping station and install eight high-power pumps. This exercise will significantly enhance the capacity of the drainage pumping station, and water from north and central Kolkata will recede at a faster pace," said a KMC official.A civic official said residents of Lenin Sarani, APC Roy Road, Chittaranjan Avenue, Camac Street, AJC Bose Road, Park Street, Loudon Street, Rawdon Street, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, Ripon Street, Amherst Street, and Bidhan Sarani, will benefit from one of the biggest drainage upgrade projects.KMC expedited its construction of a drainage pumping station at Hrishikesh Park, which will take care of the waterlogging woes of several adjoining areas like Amherst Street, Sukea Street, Thanthania, and other adjacent neighbourhoods. This drainage pumping station is being set up in addition to an already constructed pumping station as part of a drainage augmentation project.Apart from this, the KMC sewerage and drainage department took up the development of a storm water drainage system along Goabagan Street and Iswar Mill Lane from Sahitya Parishad Street to Beadon Street. Development of the storm water network in parts of Rabindra Sarani and B B Ganguly Street will also be taken up soon.