'Retrofitting of 280 out of 413 bridges in state completed'

kolkata: The state Public Works Department (PWD) has already completed retrofitting of 280 out of 413 bridges across the state. Work for another 82 bridges is in progress.

The data in this regard was presented by state PWD minister Moloy Ghatak in the state Assembly on Friday based upon a 'calling attention' moved by Tajmul Hossain, TMC MLA from Harishchandrapur in Malda district.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the caving in of the Majerhat Bridge in September 2018 had instructed the concerned departments to inspect all the bridges under their respective aegis and take necessary measures to avert such incident in future.

Apart from PWD, bridges in the state are maintained by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), the Irrigation department, Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners, etc.

The PWD department, which is responsible for maintenance of maximum bridges in the state, inspected all the bridges under its jurisdiction and categorised them as A, B, and C.

The bridges requiring immediate rehabilitation were brought under A category; those requiring retrofitting within six months were placed under B category while those that could be rehabilitated after six months were marked under C category.

About 224 bridges were categorised as A, 144 as B and 45 as C. Ghatak said that 170, 99 and 11 bridges in A, B and C categories had already been repaired and work was in progress for 46, 25 and 11 bridges in the three categories respectively. "It was obvious that special emphasis was given to the A category bridges as they were in need of urgent repair. About 170 have been completed and the rest 46 are in progress, which is an indicator that majority of the bridges under this category have either been retrofitted or would witness the same soon,"a senior official of state PWD department said.