'Submit report on the health of 2,109 bridges by Nov-end'

MP | 1 Nov 2022 | Kolkata: State Public Works Department (PWD) minister Pulak Roy has instructed the concerned engineers to conduct a detailed health study of all the 2,109 bridges under its aegis and submit a report by the end of this month. 

Roy chaired a review meeting on the condition of the bridges across the state at Nabanna on Tuesday and engineers associated with maintenance of the bridges attended the meeting virtually from their respective districts. Instructions were given to take it up with the police authorities and make necessary traffic diversions in case of the bridges that are in bad condition with immediate effect. 

The Deshapran Birendra Setu on river Kansabati that connects Medinipur with Kharagpur is in bad shape and the tender for rejuvenation of the bridge will open for November 7. 

However, the PWD department has already proposed a four lane bridge parallel to this bridge for reducing the volume of traffic on it. 

Another bridge on river Silabati has also been proposed for traffic diversion. The Coronation Bridge on river Tista also known as Sevoke Bridge that connects the Dooars region with Siliguri will also see a major facelift. Tender will be floated soon.The construction of the bridge started in 1937 and it was commissioned in 1941. 

It was named the Coronation Bridge to mark the coronation of King George V. Back in 2011, after an earthquake shook the region, cracks were spotted in parts of the bridge. 

The state PWD carried out repairs but in due course, curbs were imposed on the movement of vehicles weighing above 10 tonnes along the bridge. 

The Centre and the state have planned to come up with an alternative bridge in Sevoke Bazaar, a few kilometres downstream of the Teesta, to ease the traffic load of Coronation Bridge. 

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