A part of Garia remained waterlogged on Friday, even two days since it last rained in Kolkata.
A caller from Pragati Park in Bramhapur in Ward 111 complained to mayor Firhad Hakim on Friday that a stretch in the neighbourhood was still waterlogged.
Hakim was visibly angry and asked a senior engineer responsible for drainage in the area why they did not have the information.
Hakim asked why would a citizen call and inform them about the plight of the road.
“Why would people call and inform? Why wouldn’t you know this? Why doesn’t the consultant inform you about the condition,” Hakim said.
When The Telegraph visited the area on Friday evening, there was ankle-deep water on the roads. People had to wade through the water.
Hakim also asked why the area was still waterlogged though two days have passed since it last rained.
“There has been no rain for the last two days. Why would there be waterlogging even now?” he asked.
The mayor asked engineers to install pumps and clear the water.
He promised the caller that the work will be done by Saturday.
But the caller told the mayor that there should be a permanent solution because another spell of rain will again lead to waterlogging.
Hakim then said that a major underground drainage work was underway in the area under the Kolkata Environmental Improvement Investment Programme (KEIIP).
“The house connections (from the main drainage line) are being done now. It will take about another year for the house connections to be completed. There will be no problem after that,” he said.
Hakim also instructed engineers and officials to identify places where streets remain waterlogged for many days after a heavy spell of rain. He asked the engineers to install temporary pumps in all those places.
“Why should there be waterlogging for so long? Why should people suffer?” he said.
