Kolkata, 13 October (H.S.) : With the festive season just around the corner, Kolkata and several districts are undergoing a massive beautification drive. Major thoroughfares in the city, including Red Road, Beleghata, and the Gariahat flyover, have been adorned with large traditional motifs (alpanas) and painted in vibrant rainbow colors. This colorful makeover has also been extended to districts like Asansol, where the stretch from Bhagat Singh More is being illuminated with famous Chandannagar lighting. Amid rising questions regarding the financial burden of these initiatives, State Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul clarified that not a single rupee from the state exchequer has been spent.

Participating in various programs in Asansol on Tuesday, Paul explained the vision behind the initiative. Just as Bengalis clean and paint their homes ahead of the pujas, we are cleaning and beautifying our cities. Maintaining this beauty is the responsibility of every citizen, she said. Drawing on her background as a former fashion designer, she added that her previous experience in styling people has now evolved into dressing up the city, leading to the colorful transformation of bridges and roads.

The initiative had sparked a debate, with opposition parties and netizens questioning the necessity of spending taxpayer money on road painting. Dismissing these allegations, the minister explicitly stated that the entire project was funded through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds and special assistance from paint companies. Emphasizing that public tax money was completely untouched, she noted that the rainbow colors and Chandannagar lights are meant to double the joy of the festivities - a move that has been largely welcomed by the citizens despite the political bickering.

Meanwhile, Paul also laid the foundation stone for a new road from Chitra More to Santa Bridge in Asansol, a project allocated Rs 2.5 crore. She announced that full-scale construction will commence after the pujas, while a special pre-puja patch repair is currently underway at a cost of Rs 17 lakh. On the same day, the Asansol South MLA and state minister laid the foundation for a much-awaited 60-foot road in the Ismail area, which will be built at a cost of Rs 1 crore. For the past 40 years, the stretch had only been covered with boulders, leaving the local residents without a proper paved road.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh