Bikes Skid on Kolkata's Freshly Painted Flyovers Ahead of Durga Puja, Sparking Safety Outcry and Political Clash A viral video showing multiple motorbikes losing grip on rain-slicked decorative road paint across Kolkata flyovers has triggered administrative inquiries, safety debates, and sharp political sparring. Extensive beautification efforts have been undertaken across Kolkata on state initiative to prepare the metropolis for the upcoming Durga Puja festivities. Streets throughout the city are being adorned with sparkling decorative lights and traditional alpana patterns. As part of these celebratory upgrades, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners (HRBC) arranged to give a colorful makeover to several bridges and flyovers across the city. Painting operations had already commenced on the roadway surfaces of the Gariahat and Chingrighata flyovers. While the initiative initially drew praise from several onlookers for adding festive vibrancy to urban infrastructure, it simultaneously raised immediate apprehensions among motorists and observers regarding potential visibility distractions and heightened accident hazards on multi-colored road surfaces. Viral Video of Skidding Motorcyclists Sparks Alarm The controversy escalated sharply following the emergence of video footage on social media depicting multiple two-wheeler riders losing control on a brightly coated, rain-slicked stretch of a Kolkata flyover on a Wednesday afternoon. The visuals showed three motorbikes skidding in quick succession and crashing onto the deck, ostensibly after encountering an oil paint surface combined with rainwater. According to reports published on October 14, several riders lost their balance while navigating the rainbow-hued structure. Initial accounts did not clearly establish the precise physical aftermath of these incidents or confirm whether any commuters sustained injuries. Both the absolute authenticity of the recorded footage and the exact underlying causes behind the repeated skidding remain subject to formal verification. Administrative Probe and Official Defense The viral footage quickly drew fierce criticism toward the urban development department overseen by West Bengal Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul. In response to the growing public concern, Paul ordered officials to conduct a thorough inquiry to determine the exact factors that precipitated the vehicular falls. Paul stated that an anti-skid paint formulation had been specifically utilized for the beautification project. She emphasized that if the applied coating causes visual hindrance or operational difficulties for motorists, the administrative machinery will actively evaluate alternative arrangements. The formal inquiry is expected to ascertain whether the vehicular loss of control stemmed primarily from the chemical paint layer, ambient moisture from rainfall, or other contributing roadway variables. Political War of Words Between Rival Parties The painted flyover initiative quickly turned into a high-voltage political flashpoint in West Bengal. Kunal Ghosh questioned the rationale of the civic administration, asking why such an unscientific and dangerous painting exercise was undertaken if the surface treatment ultimately had to be scraped off. He demanded accountability regarding who would assume responsibility for the accidents and answer for the waste of public funds, highlighting visuals from the Chingrighata mishap and subsequent paint removal efforts at Gariahat. The TMC leveled sharp accusations, alleging that the BJP government, which it claimed came to power by stealing the people's mandate in Bengal, was now endangering public lives. The party alleged that the newly painted flyover had been transformed into a virtual death trap where bikes were slipping during the very first rain, asserting that Minister Agnimitra Paul must be held accountable for gross negligence because the people of Bengal demand safe roads rather than hazardous infrastructure. Tire Grip Mechanics and the Physics of Road Coatings The viral incident has underscored fundamental engineering questions regarding how aesthetic surface coatings interact with vehicular traction. Safe automotive movement relies intrinsically on consistent friction generated between the tire rubber and the pavement surface. This critical frictional interface allows a driver to safely accelerate, apply brakes, maneuver directional changes, and preserve vehicle balance, particularly along curved flyover alignments. When regular asphalt surfaces are overlaid with paint, the topical coating alters the intrinsic micro-texture and macro-texture of the pavement. Depending on the chemical makeup of the paint, its binder materials, surface finish, and the existing condition of the underlying bitumen, the newly created surface can offer substantially less grip than worn asphalt. Wet conditions amplify this risk significantly, as a film of water reduces direct tire-to-pavement friction. If the resultant friction coefficient falls below what is required for routine braking or steering, tires inevitably skid, though not all road coating materials pose identical hazard levels. Reconciling Artistic Beautification with Roadway Safety Transportation safety experts emphasize that visual enhancements can be integrated into urban environments without jeopardizing foundational motoring safety. Decorative artwork should be strictly restricted to zones that do not intersect with vehicular wheel paths. Traditional cultural motifs, such as Kolkata's iconic alpana art, can be safely rendered on pedestrian footpaths, public plazas, roadside retaining barriers, traffic island surfaces, and other non-trafficked public spaces. Whenever coatings must be applied to roadway environments, authorities must utilize materials specifically engineered, tested, and certified for vehicular use. Prior to widespread deployment, candidate products must undergo rigorous testing to evaluate wet-surface skid resistance, operational durability, daytime and nighttime visibility, and chemical compatibility with existing pavement layers. On high-demand stretches such as curves and intersections where intensive braking or steering occurs, specialized high-friction surfacing systems consisting of calcined bauxite or tough aggregates bonded with thermosetting resins should be installed under strict engineering specifications. Alternative Design Approaches for Urban Infrastructure Urban planners advocate that relying on structural embellishments is far more sustainable than coating high-speed driving surfaces. Color and texture can be introduced thoughtfully through designed curbs, raised crosswalks, and textured traffic-calming treatments within designated low-speed zones. Furthermore, incorporating murals on bridge retaining walls, painting support pillars, installing artistic architectural lighting, using ornate railings, and placing standalone public art installations can dramatically uplift flyover aesthetics without modifying the physical driving plane. Above all, core safety elements must take precedence, including prompt pothole repairs, efficient storm drainage, high-reflectivity lane striping, unambiguous signage, adequate lighting, and consistent roadway maintenance. Decorative treatments must never be used to conceal underlying structural defects, nor should they confuse drivers by obscuring official traffic markings. Before reopening any coated road to standard traffic, authorities must conduct comprehensive evaluations of wet and dry skid resistance, texture depth, drainage efficacy, and overall durability under varying weather conditions. What this means for you Decreased vehicular friction on decorated flyovers poses immediate accident hazards for daily commuters, especially two-wheeler riders. • In Kolkata: Motorcyclists traversing the Gariahat and Chingrighata flyovers must exercise heightened caution on wet paved sections. Commuters should maintain modest speeds and strictly avoid sudden braking or aggressive steering on painted surfaces. • Across India: Municipal bodies in various cities must treat this incident as a critical warning against unverified aesthetic interventions on active traffic corridors. Civic authorities are expected to prioritize certified friction standards over visual embellishments on roads. • For Commuters: Drivers navigating unfamiliar or painted road textures during wet spells face increased skidding risks. Maintaining larger following distances and routinely inspecting tire tread depth are essential precautionary measures. • Administrative Accountability: Public infrastructure funded by taxpayer money is subject to strict engineering liability when safety norms are compromised. Residents can actively petition municipal bodies to rectify hazard-prone surfaces or remove non-compliant coatings immediately. Why this happened The controversy emerged when decorative paint applied to beautify Kolkata flyovers for Durga Puja interacted with seasonal rain, causing severe surface traction loss. • Immediate Cause: Applying an oil-based paint layer over the pavement, compounded by rainfall, drastically degraded the friction coefficient between tire rubber and asphalt. The smoothed texture failed to provide adequate grip during routine maneuvering, leading to immediate skidding. • Project Background: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners (HRBC) initiated roadway painting on Gariahat and Chingrighata flyovers as a festive aesthetic upgrade. Proper pre-implementation assessments regarding wet skid resistance and driver visibility appear to have been bypassed. • Investigation Status: While authorities claimed that anti-skid paint had been selected, viral footage of consecutive accidents prompted an official departmental inquiry. Technical tests are currently underway to establish whether the loss of traction was driven by paint composition, surface water, or roadway alignment. • Political Fallout: Opposition leaders seized on the mishaps, characterizing the project as reckless expenditure and an unscientific hazard, subsequently demanding ministerial accountability. Questions & Answers 1. Why were Kolkata flyovers painted in the first place? The Kolkata Municipal Corporation and HRBC initiated the painting project as part of an urban beautification drive for Durga Puja celebrations. 2. Which flyovers in Kolkata underwent decorative painting? Painting operations were undertaken on the roadway surfaces of the Gariahat and Chingrighata flyovers. 3. What incident occurred on the freshly painted flyover? Following oil painting and rainfall, three motorbikes slipped in quick succession and crashed on Wednesday afternoon due to reduced traction. 4. What was Minister Agnimitra Paul's response to the incident? Agnimitra Paul stated that anti-skid paint was used and ordered an official inquiry to inspect the site and explore remedial measures if required. 5. What allegations were made by the TMC and Kunal Ghosh? Kunal Ghosh criticized the unscientific waste of public money, while the TMC labeled the painted structure a death trap endangering citizen safety. 6. Why does road paint cause vehicles to skid? Paint smooths out asphalt texture, diminishing the friction between tires and pavement, which becomes hazardous when mixed with rainwater. 7. What alternative beautification methods do experts recommend? Experts advise placing artwork on sidewalks, barriers, and pillars while keeping high-speed vehicular tracks free of non-engineered coatings. https://trendkia.com/en/national/durga-puja-para-kolkata-ke-phlaiovara-rngane-ke-bada-phisalane-lagin-baika-suraksha-aura-sajavata-para-khara-hua-siyasi-ghamasana-48192 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.