The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation has moved to repair damaged streets in Salt Lake after the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department sanctioned Rs 513.9 million (Rs 513.9 mn) for the work. Residents are set to see crater-free roads as some repair work has already begun and multiple work orders have been issued. Officials said preparatory work is under way and further contracts are due to commence in a couple of days.

For more than six years many residents reported that they had not seen crater-free streets, with repeated patching failing to last longer than a month. The previously elected board was blamed for failing to carry out full repairs on the grounds of non-availability of funds, and primary contractors reportedly refused to proceed owing to pending payments for earlier work.

The sanction, communicated in the last week of July, totals Rs 513.9 mn and has enabled the BMC to issue several work orders. Several Detailed Project Reports remain pending with the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department, and officials expect those to be cleared shortly. The BMC has been coordinating with contractors and monitoring progress through routine inspections and periodic reviews to ensure that issued work orders translate into lasting repairs rather than temporary patching. Residents will be kept informed of timelines and road closures during the work.

Work on a few stretches is nearly completed and multiple tenders remain active to secure further contractors. The commissioner of the BMC declined to comment, citing a government order that bars officials from speaking to the media ahead of formal announcements.

Officials are targeting to complete major stretches by the Durga Puja days, though the schedule might be subject to weather conditions and other operational constraints. If rains intervene, the plan is to make roads usable for the festival and carry out thorough repairs after the puja period.