The Kolkata Municipal Corporation removed rainbow-coloured paint from the Gariahat and Chingrighata flyovers on Wednesday night after videos showed at least three motorbikes skidding on the freshly painted surface, prompting an immediate road-safety response ahead of Durga Puja.
The paint had been applied last week as part of a West Bengal government beautification drive. The Gariahat Flyover and Chingrighata Flyover were coated in shades of pink, orange, green and yellow, while other public spaces were also being decorated for the festival.
West Bengal Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul said the paint used on the flyovers was intended to be anti-skid. After the videos emerged, however, the KMC sent a scrubbing machine to the Gariahat bridge to remove the coating. Road studs, or reflectors, were also installed at the Chingrighata Flyover.
“These flyovers were painted as part of a beautification drive in Kolkata. The paint that was used was supposed to be anti-skid paint. But since a few bikes still skid, we are now removing the paint. We are also probing how the accidents took place,” Ms. Paul said, according to the report.
The videos showed motorbikes losing traction on the painted road surface at Chingrighata. Their circulation on social media raised concerns about the safety of applying decorative coatings to elevated roads that carry regular traffic, particularly during a period when Kolkata is expected to see increased movement for Durga Puja.
The minister said the beautification work had been funded through corporate social responsibility contributions rather than public funds. She described the initiative as a symbol of brotherhood, love and public trust, and said a similar beautification exercise had been carried out at Red Road. The ghats along the Hooghly River were also due to be decorated ahead of the festival.
The decision to remove the paint drew political criticism. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh questioned the use of what he described as “unscientific” and “dangerous” paint, and asked who would be accountable for the accidents and the expenditure. Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary Md. Salim also said the government should have considered the initiative more carefully before implementing it.
The episode has placed the technical approval and execution of festival-related public works under scrutiny. While the KMC has begun removing the coating and installing reflectors, the Urban Development Minister said an inquiry would examine how the skidding incidents occurred. The investigation and the completion of the surface-removal work are the next official steps.
