Salt Lake’s Decline: Once a Pride, Now a "Shame" Declares Mamata Banerjee

Salt Lake was once the pride of Calcutta.

Last Monday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared Salt Lake to be "a shame."

The degradation has been visible to both locals and tourists for some time; the intended community is now known for its pavement-grabbing booths, collapsing roads, trash-lined streets, broken street lights, and chaotic parks.

"Salt Lake is a beautiful place. Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister, declared on Monday that "I am ashamed of Salt Lake."

On June 25, a visit of Salt Lake City demonstrated the reasons behind her statements.

Many major roads have craters and potholes. First Avenue, which links Ultadanga and Salt Lake, is dotted with ditches these days.

The route along Eastern Drainage Canalbank route, which is in front of the Animal Resources Department (ARD) headquarters in LB Block, has the appearance of an off-road track.

Block-crossing streets don't do any better. In Blocks FD, FE, EE, and ED, the blacktop has collapsed.

In every one of Salt Lake's fifty-two blocks, there are pavement-grabbing stalls. Many of the booths don't even make an effort to provide any space on the pavement for foot traffic.

Among other locations, hawkers have constructed ornate bazaars in front of the Geological Survey of India building, across from the Karunamoyee Housing Estate, and close to City Center.

Trash was lining the road across from IC Block in Sector III in Salt Lake City. A vat close to Labony Housing Estate burst open to release trash.

The street lights were all out along Broadway, which is the key route that links Salt Lake and the EM Bypass.

Once upon a time, Salt Lake City residents would be proud of their broad sidewalks, smooth roadways, and open areas. They claim that the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation's neglect is to blame for the poor state of the civic infrastructure.

At a meeting on June 24, the chief minister had made the same statement.

"What prevents the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation council members from working? They are representatives chosen by election. The roadways are not swept by them. Is it time for me to clean the roads? The roads, water supplies, and lights are not maintained by them. They ignore the issues that people encounter," Mamata had remarked.

Bidhannagar mayor Krishna Chakraborty responded, "Didi has scolded us," when asked about Mamata's reaction. We will pinpoint the areas in which we have acted carelessly. It is expected of officials and council members to carry out their duties.

"In Salt Lake, Sujit Bose is aiding encroachers, as if it is a competition," Mamata had stated during the meeting. Why do you think you can tolerate outsiders? What was the amount they had to pay? "Who stole the money?"

Bose is an MLA from Bidhannagar. "I have never collected a single penny from any hawker in Salt Lake," he said to this newspaper. We'll work together to address all shortcomings and issues.

The Bidhannagar Welfare Association's secretary, Sarat Mallick, stated that "the civic infrastructure has turned from bad to worse over the years."