Pune beat

The civic officials said the decision to construct a foot-overbridge for pedestrians near Paud Phata was taken after it was noticed that crossing of the Karve Road had become dangerous due to the heavy traffic on it.

Atleast 15,000 students cross the Karve Road at the vantage junction opposite the SNDT College every day as many schools and colleges are located in the area, they said. The provision of Rs 5 lakh was made for the foot-overbridge in the civic budget for the year 1997-98. Provision of Rs 12.50 lakh has been made for the purpose in the current civic budget.

The proposed foot-overbridge would be 10 feet wide and have ladders on both the sides. Its both the approaches will open on the road along the canal which intersects the Karve Road opposite the SNDT College.

Its height will be five and a half feet, the civic officials said. The estimate of the work, prepared by the civic administration, was approved by the General Body on January 28, this year. The process to call tenders started on February 16. The last date to open the tenders was March 15. The civic administration had received five tenders for the work.

Meanwhile, the standing committee has also approved the civic administration proposal to award the tender of carrying out the construction in the second phase of the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Memorial to Sagar Construction at Rs 5,46,251.

The work was expected to incur expenditure of Rs 5,60,000 as per an estimate prepared by the civic administration. Process to call tenders had begun on May 4. The civic administration had received three tenders for the work.