Kolkata’s “Rainbow” Flyovers Spark Safety Concerns Ahead of Durga Puja

A short dashboard-camera clip showed three motorcyclists losing traction and skidding on the freshly painted carriageway of the Chingrighata flyover on the EM Bypass while it was drizzling. Police confirmed that none of the riders were injured. The episode has intensified public debate over the safety of the colourful road-painting scheme applied to several flyovers for the Durga Puja festivities.

Hindustan Times

The West Bengal Urban Development Ministry directed that the carriageways of the Chingrighata and Gariahat flyovers, as well as the Red Road, be painted in rainbow hues and adorned with alpona, a traditional folk-art motif. The paint was supplied by private firms using corporate-social-responsibility (Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)) funds, not state treasury allocations. The initiative is described as a temporary decorative measure for the holiday season.

Hindustan Times

Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul ordered an enquiry, directing officials to visit the site and investigate the cause of the skidding. She noted that anti-skid paint had been used and that the colours were intended to honor Bengali heritage. A multi-agency team—including the state director-general of police, the Kolkata Police commissioner, and technical experts—has been dispatched to assess the flyovers and submit a report.

Hindustan Times

Congress general secretary Ashutosh Chatterjee warned that glossy, non-standard paints could reduce tyre grip, especially when wet, and wrote to the minister and the Kolkata Municipal Commissioner. Environmentalist Somendra Mohan Ghosh echoed the concern, saying ordinary coloured paint lacks anti-skid additives. Automobile expert SM Ghosh described the painted surfaces as “dangerously slick,” noting that the coefficient of friction can drop sharply on wet, painted asphalt.

The Indian Express

• “We have used anti-skid paint… We have painted the roads and made alpona (traditional floral motifs) for the Puja as it is a part of our Bengali heritage and tradition,” — Agnimitra Paul, minister

The Indian Express

• “Someone have asked why our money was misused, why are you colouring the roads with our money, and why the road hasn’t been fixed? But this has been done through CSR. The paint company was requested to do this to make our city look beautiful. So, it was done through CSR,” — Agnimitra Paul, minister

The Indian Express

• “A video that surfaced showed three motorcyclists falling after their vehicles skidded on the Chingrighata flyover. It was raining at that time. Such accidents on rain-drenched roads have happened before. It is yet to be ascertained what caused the accidents,” — MK Sanjaykumar, deputy commissioner of police (traffic) in Bidhannagar city

Hindustan Times

• “We have already sent a team comprising the state’s director general of police, Kolkata Police commissioner, other officers from the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation and technical experts. They will check the roads and flyovers and give us a report. The roads and flyovers were painted as part of the festive celebrations. People loved it. It is also temporary,” — Agnimitra Paul, minister

Hindustan Times