BJP’s campaign against TMC to focus on ‘poor’ city bridges

“The condition of several bridges are poor which require immediate maintenance work. People risk their lives every day to commute across the city. Besides, the state government has failed to meet the deadline for completion of Majerhat bridge. This means people living in Behala and Taratala areas will continue to suffer. Now, Tallah bridge has been closed for traffic as it will be demolished. The state government and the KMC have failed to offer residents a smooth ride across the city,” said state BJP General Secretary Raju Banerjee, adding that the “poor condition of the bridges” will be one the party’s campaign theme.

In 2013, the south-bound flank of Ultadanga flyover had collapsed, leaving two people injured. Three years later, Vivekananda flyover in central Kolkata collapsed before its construction could be completed, killing 26 people and injuring more than 80. A portion of the important Majerhat bridge in the southern part of the city came crashing down in September 2018, killing three people and injuring 24. While the Majerhat bridge has not been rebuilt, the Tallah bridge in North Kolkata has been closed for traffic since January 31. Last month, the state’s longest flyover in neighbouring South 24 Parganas district was shut for 26 hours after it developed cracks barely a year since being opened to traffic. The Sampriti flyover connects Jinjira Bazar in Maheshtala to Batanagar.

Since the Majerhat bridge collapsed, the PWD has identified seven bridges out of 20 as ones that require urgent repairs. The state government has also repaired several bridges, and constructed several bailey bridges to ease traffic congestion.

“This is a serious issue which needs to be addressed,” said a senior BJP leader. “The Majerhat bridge was supposed to be completed within a year after the collapse but the government has overshot the deadline. Providing better civic amenities will be our first priority if we come to power in KMC,” the leader added.

However, a senior Trinamool Congress leader said that the state government and the KMC had made a lot of effort in the last two years to improve the condition of bridges and flyovers. “The Left Front government was in power here for 34 years. What have they done to carry out maintenance of the bridges? Since coming to power, the TMC government laid stress on improving infrastructure and we have carried out an inspection of bridges and flyovers in Kolkata. So many bridges have been repaired. The Tallah bridge will be demolished to construct a new one. This has been done to develop the city’s infrastructure. Those who are doing politics over it cannot see the development of the state,” a party leader said.

The Trinamool leader also accused the central government’s Commission of Railway Safety of delaying the approval to construct a portion of Majerhat bridge over railway lines. The approval was granted last month after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s raised the matter at a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Bhubaneshwar. According to sources in PWD, the reconstruction work has now begun and is likely to be completed in July.