Residents of a ward in Santipur town launched boats on Monday to navigate a 500m-long road that resembles a waterway after short spell of rain because of damaged drainage network.

Members of 50 families in the town’s ward 10 have to wade through drain water most part of the year as their demand to repair the drains have failed to evoke response from the municipal authorities.

The situation aggravated after Sunday’s incessant rain and the residents took to a novel protest by rowing two boat on the inundated stretch of the Santipur-Nabadwip road to draw the authorities’ attention to their misery. The boat service was also necessary for the residents to step out of their homes for daily needs.

Santipur-Nabadwip is an arterial link between the two towns that goes through the Khudekalitala area of the ward that became inaccessible because of the water-logging in the past 10 days.

The residents said since the locality had turned into a cesspool with waist-deep water, they were forced to remain under a sort of confinement at home.

“It is a horrible situation. The Santipur Municipality’s negligence keeps our area waterlogged. The water level has been high for the past 10 days because of heavy rains, forcing us to hire two boats to step out of home and arrange for our basic needs,” said Indrajit Biswas.

Another resident said they had blocked the road in January, demanding immediate repair of the drainage. “Senior police and administrative officials assured us of taking up the issue with the municipality. However, they have done nothing.”

The chairman of the Trinamul-run municipality, Ajoy De, said the civic body had taken up the reconstruction of the drains under the central government’s Amrut project. “The administrative approval for the project has been issued. But we could not begin the work because of pending financial approval by the state government. The delay is apparently because of Covid-19 pandemic,” said Dey.

“Nevertheless, as an immediate measure, we have already engaged a pump set to drain out water. The pump set is run regularly from 8am to 8pm. Coupled with incessant rain, inundation of a pond where the water is being pumped has created a fresh problem. We appeal to people to bear with us for few more days.”

A local resident said: “We have no option than to wait for more days with patience. But the municipality has to arrange for our daily needs as the handful of shops in our locality pulled down their shutters since water entered inside.”