Rubble removed from spot but sand a threat in Kolkata's Tala

KOLKATA: A day after a pile of rubble dumped on the roadside in Tala led to a bike accident and killed a young woman riding pillion, the authorities cleared the road on Monday and also deputed road supervisors in the area, cordoning off a zone on the same road where a beautification work was underway.
"Had they done this earlier, a precious life could have been saved.Dumped rubbish and construction materials have led to major accidents in the past as well. But at least the authorities have acted quickly and removed the dumped materials," said Goutam Pal, a local resident.
On Sunday morning, a pillion rider died when the two-wheeler she was travelling on skidded on the pile of rubble and a mini-truck coming from the opposite direction ran over her. Rinki Mallick, a 32-year-old Maniktala resident, fell on her left before being hit by the mini-truck. The biker, 24-year-old Rahul Hela, fell on his right, away from the road, and was treated for his hand injuries before being discharged from RG Kar hospital.
Local councillor Tarun Saha said he had instructed the solid waste management unit of KMC to remove the debris and have also instructed the men working on the beautification project of the pavement not to dump any construction material on the carriageway.
Regulars on the road were also vocal on the absence of median dividers along the stretch. "Since the Tala bridge had closed, traffic on Northern Avenue increased manifold and even after the bridge reopened, the road has remained busy. But with no dividers, it has become a death trap, especially after dusk when large vehicles move both ways," said Rajib Mondal, who rides along the road every day.
Meanwhile, even as the rubbles were removed from Northern Avenue much to the relief of the bikers, a new problem has surfaced on Tala bridge where a thick layer of sand has started accumulating on the side of the bridge.
Regulars on the stretch said since the closure of Santragachhi bridge, movement of heavy vehicles carrying construction materials has increased on Tala bridge, leading to more sand sprinkling out of vehicles. It gets shifted to the sides with exhaust fumes of other vehicles and also by KMC sweeping machines that clean the middle of the road.
"Last night, I almost met with an accident when a mini-truck swerved left, forcing me to move further left towards the bridge railings when my scooter tyres skidded on the sand. I somehow controlled the scooter and could stop my two-wheeler. Had I fell off the scooter, I could have come under a truck," said Debjit Roy, a resident of Sinthi.
Kolkata: A day after a pile of rubble dumped on the roadside in Tala led to a bike accident and killed a young woman riding pillion, the authorities cleared the road on Monday and also deputed road supervisors in the area, cordoning off a zone on the same road where a beautification work was underway.
"Had they done this earlier, a precious life could have been saved. Dumped rubbish and construction materials have led to major accidents in the past as well. But at least the authorities have acted quickly and removed the dumped materials," said Goutam Pal, a local resident.
On Sunday morning, a pillion rider died when the two-wheeler she was travelling on skidded on the pile of rubble and a mini-truck coming from the opposite direction ran over her. Rinki Mallick, a 32-year-old Maniktala resident, fell on her left before being hit by the mini-truck. The biker, 24-year-old Rahul Hela, fell on his right, away from the road, and was treated for his hand injuries before being discharged from RG Kar hospital.
Local councillor Tarun Saha said he had instructed the solid waste management unit of KMC to remove the debris and have also instructed the men working on the beautification project of the pavement not to dump any construction material on the carriageway.
Regulars on the road were also vocal on the absence of median dividers along the stretch. "Since the Tala bridge had closed, traffic on Northern Avenue increased manifold and even after the bridge reopened, the road has remained busy. But with no dividers, it has become a death trap, especially after dusk when large vehicles move both ways," said Rajib Mondal, who rides along the road every day.
Meanwhile, even as the rubbles were removed from Northern Avenue much to the relief of the bikers, a new problem has surfaced on Tala bridge where a thick layer of sand has started accumulating on the side of the bridge.
Regulars on the stretch said since the closure of Santragachhi bridge, movement of heavy vehicles carrying construction materials has increased on Tala bridge, leading to more sand sprinkling out of vehicles. It gets shifted to the sides with exhaust fumes of other vehicles and also by KMC sweeping machines that clean the middle of the road.
"Last night, I almost met with an accident when a mini-truck swerved left, forcing me to move further left towards the bridge railings when my scooter tyres skidded on the sand. I somehow controlled the scooter and could stop my two-wheeler. Had I fell off the scooter, I could have come under a truck," said Debjit Roy, a resident of Sinthi.