Following videos of motorcycles skidding on rain-soaked, freshly painted roads in West Bengal’s Kolkata sparked safety concerns, officials were ordered an investigation into the incidents while some reports claimed began removing the paint on Thursday.
However, she said the reported accidents were being investigated to determine the circumstances in which they occurred. Ahead of the festive season, the state government had given several road stretches across Kolkata a colourful makeover. Local news channel Taaza claimed workers removed the freshly painted surface of the Chingrighata flyover overnight after a viral video showed three motorbikes skidding on the stretch ahead of Durga Puja. HT could not independently verify this. Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari ordered a probe into why the surface became slippery. Senior officials have examined the matter. Defending the initiative, Paul maintained that the paint used on the roads was anti-skid and should not, by itself, cause motorcycles to lose their balance.
An official of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) said rows of ‘cat’s eye’ road studs have been installed at intervals of 10 metres on the rainbow-painted stretch of Chingrighata Flyover, and the surface of Gariahat Bridge has been scraped to make it rougher and increase friction to prevent accidents, PTI news agency reported. Vehicles can skid due to various reasons,” PTI quoted her as saying on Thursday. The minister said it would be premature to conclude that the accidents occurred due to the painting. Because of the painting, “It could or could not be.
State’s urban development and municipal affairs minister Agnimitra Paul said the Gariahat flyover in south Kolkata, the Chingrighata flyover in the eastern part of the city and a section of Red Road in central Kolkata had been painted in rainbow hues, with due consideration given to safety norms. Paul said the Gariahat flyover in south Kolkata, the Chingrighata flyover in the eastern part of the city and a section of Red Road in central Kolkata had been painted in rainbow hues, with due consideration given to safety norms. Agnimitra Paul said the administration could not establish the reason behind the skidding of the motorcycles. Cat’s eyes road studs have been installed on Chingrighata Flyover and the surface of Gariahat Bridge has been roughened to increase friction,” Paul said. Clarifying the government’s intent, she said the colours were chosen to reflect Kolkata’s cultural legacy, communal harmony and collective spirit, rather than to represent any particular community.
“Two motorcycles had reportedly skidded on a flyover yesterday, but we cannot say with certainty what caused it.
