Kolkata: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will ask the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) to make lighting arrangements and take up repair work of Kudghat Bridge while also asking the latter to keep the responsibility of maintenance of the four flyovers on the EM Bypass with it.
On Friday, Mayor Firhad Hakim received a complaint from a citizen of Ward 115 that the Kudghat Bridge is in a worrying condition and unless urgent repair work is undertaken it can lead to a collapse.
It was stated that the bridge has developed holes which are widening due to vehicular traffic. The citizen has also requested that lighting arrangements be made at the bridge.
It was learnt that that bridge is under the responsibility of KMDA. It passes over the Tolly Nullah or Adi Ganga and is located behind Kudghat Market. Hakim, who is the minister of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department, also heads the KMDA. He assured that KMDA will be asked to take up urgent repair works and arrange lighting facilities. Further, the KMC has also written to KMDA to keep the responsibility of the maintenance of four flyovers and bridges with them since KMC does not have adequate infrastructure for their maintenance. The civic body said it does not have the expertise to maintain the following structures: Chingrighata Flyover, Ultadanga Flyover, Baghajatin ROB and Ambedkar Bridge. The letter to KMDA was sent by the KMC commissioner after due approval from Hakim.
KMC will continue to operate and maintain all the rest 33 structures, mostly culverts and the foot overbridge at Chingrighata. In September, the UDMA had issued an order for KMDA to hand over the responsibility of the bridges, flyovers, culverts, underpasses and foot-over bridges to the KMC for operation and maintenance.