The West Bengal government will demolish the Majerhat bridge, a portion of which came down on September 4 killing three people and leaving more than 20 people injured.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that the inquiry committee headed by Chief Secretary Malay Kumar De has recommended razing the bridge and constructing a new bridge on Diamond Harbour Road in a year’s time. Ms. Banerjee had earlier set up a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to look into the reasons for the collapse.
“He (the Chief Secretary) has pointed out two things. It was the responsibility of the PWD and their negligence is to be blamed. The metro construction work might have had an impact on the structure but it needs to be probed further,” the Chief Minister said.
She also clarified that the work of Joka-BBD Bag Metro project was closed on the site of bridge collapse only for seven days for necessary inspection.
“Some people have said that I stopped the work of Joka-BBD bag. How can I stop the work which I started?” she said.
Clean chit
Ms. Banerjee later told journalists that the PWD officials did not raise the issue of poor maintenance of the bridge with the Minister of the department, thereby giving a clean chit to Arup Biswas.
She also said that talks are on with the Railway authorities on constructing a level crossing at the site. The 54-year-old Majerhat bridge is a railway overbridge on the suburban line which connects Sealdah with Budge Budge.
The bridge on Diamond Harbour Road connects Behala and its adjoining suburbs to the city.
“The State government has proposed to bear the entire cost of the level crossing. We can allow small vehicles and buses to use the railway level crossing. This would give some relief to the people as Durga Puja is approaching and so is Ganga Sagar Mela,” the Chief Minister said.
