Kolkata: The state government is determined to ensure that the company which is constructing a particular bridge takes the responsibility for its maintenance for 25 years.
At the same time, the same agencies that have earlier constructed bridges in the area under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) will have to carry out the "health" assessment and necessary repairing work of the respective constructions.
Though the agencies have to take the responsibility of maintenance of the structures, the financial support in this connection will be provided by the state government.
Citing an example of the Ultadanga bridge, state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim said: "The bridge was inaugurated during the Left Front regime in 2011 just ahead of the Assembly elections. It was constructed by Mackintosh Burn (a state government undertaking company). On Wednesday, there was a meeting with Chief General Manager of Mackintosh Burn, Sumitava Ghosh. The agency was directed to take the responsibility for the maintenance of the bridge."
He further added that if needed, the agencies can also engage experts and take their suggestions to ensure proper maintenance of the bridges.
"The state government will be bearing the cost. But the same agency that had constructed the structure has to take responsibility for its maintenance. The reason being, there could be some sort of problem if the work is offered to some other agency as the engineering companies are each other's competitors and might engage in blame game eventually," said Hakim, adding that there was no maintenance of the bridges for the past 30 years during the Left Front regime.
Moreover, the agencies just cannot carry out work to construct new bridges but also have to look after them.
Hakim will be inspecting nine bridges on Thursday, namely the Kalighat bridge, Bijon Setu, Dhakuria bridge, Baghajatin bridge, Dr BR Ambedkar Bridge, Ultadanga bridge, Aurobinda Setu and Bankim Setu in Howrah.
The minister said: "An expert of Larsen and Toubro has also been urged to visit the bridges during the inspection. His suggestions in connection with the maintenance of the bridges will also be taken."
The minister further added that after the change of guard in Bengal in 2011, the state government has ensured that the company that will get the contract to construct roads will also have to take responsibility of its maintenance for the next five years.
"Similarly the move has been taken for bridges as well. But in this case, the construction company has to take responsibility for 25 years," the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister maintained.