Tendering of repair works of Bascule Bridge reaches advanced stage

Kolkata: The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is in the advanced stage of tendering repair of the Bascule Bridge at Kidderpore.

"We are in the advanced stage of tendering and we expect that the process will be completed in one and half months time," KoPT chairman Vinit Kumar said on Thursday.

In the month of August, the bridge on a couple of occasions refused to close for a long time and commuters travelling to and fro from the port area had to face a harrowing time.

"We are first repairing the Swing Bridge, which is expected to start operations from November 20. Once we are done with the Swing Bridge, we will go forward with Bascule Bridge. The Bascule Bridge needs to be closed for more than two months to carry out the repair works. We are already in talks with Kolkata Police as they have to do necessary traffic diversions when the repair works will take place," he said.

The Swing Bridge will be able to handle only lighter traffic.

According to a senior port official, the machineries for repairing the bridge will work only when the bridge is closed. "We will make the work time-bound as this is a major link to areas like Garden Reach, Metiaburj, Rajabagan etc from the city," a senior official said.

The port is in touch with the Norwegian firm which has earlier constructed the bridge for the technical knowhow.

The KoPT has already spent Rs 25 crore for repair of roads and in the next one year, will spend another Rs 15 crore for the same as many of the roads in the port area have been in shambles.

KoPT has also made elaborate plans to augment the capacity of Haldia Port where the draft has been a major concern. "We are moving out of the in-bounded dock and are creating three jetties along the shoreline. A liquid cargo handling jetty along with associated facilities at

Shalukkhali is coming up at a cost of Rs 172.52 crore. Two other terminals are also being developed. Once these come up in the next two years,

we will be able to increase the capacity by 15 million tonne," Kumar said.

For improving the connectivity, KoPT is spending Rs 105 crore for double lining from Durgachak to Haldia.