India, Aug. 17 -- The tricity's monsoon season has once again turned the morning commute into an obstacle course - but this year, it's not just potholes slowing things down. Stretches that were smooth in May now resemble a patchwork quilt stitched by someone with a grudge-sudden craters, rain-slick panels , and knee-deep puddles blurring the line between road and drain. Scooters weave, buses brake, pedestrians dodge - a morning ballet choreographed not by traffic lights but by whatever shape the monsoon decided the road should take today.

While potholes remain the most visible villain, the real story is a combination of poor drainage, uneven resurfacing and water logging that lingers for days. The rains expose every weakness in our urban...