GTA and dist admin start review of bridges in Hills

darjeeling: Both the district administration and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration have started reviewing the bridges in the GTA area comprising the Hills of Darjeeling district and Kalimpong. This comes in the wake of the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat that left about 135 people dead and several injured.

"We have issued necessary instructions for the review of all the bridges in the Hills. The work has already started. Action will be initiated on a war footing based on the reports regarding the bridges," stated Anit Thapa, Chief Executive Member, GTA.

The bridges in Kalimpong are under the GTA. "The bridges are under the respective engineering departments of the GTA. They are being reviewed by these departments," informed R Vimala, District Magistrate, Kalimpong.

S Ponnambalam, District Magistrate, Darjeeling who holds dual charge of Principal Secretary, GTA said: "We are reviewing each and every bridge, specially the suspension bridges. There are quite a number of such bridges in the Hills, many of which had been constructed during the British era and many later at the time of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council." The review details include when the bridge had been built; the present condition of the bridge; whether it is just a footbridge or motorbikes ply on the bridge. "After we compile the details we will send it to the PWD for necessary action," added Ponnambalam.

In the past Darjeeling has had its share of woes owing to the snapping of a suspension bridge. On October 22, 2011, in one of the worst tragedies in the Darjeeling Hills, a suspension bridge collapsed at Bijanbari, 38 km from Darjeeling town. This had left 33 persons, including children, dead and 150 injured. In another development the Coronation Bridge is all set to undergo renovation soon. "We will open the tender for the renovation of the coronation bridge on November 17," said Pulak Roy, PWD Minister, Government of West Bengal. Centre will be funding the renovation of the Coronation bridge. Work will be supervised by the PWD-aided by the National Highway division of CPWD.

The strategically important Coronation bridge connecting the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Dooars to Assam was built to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937 and was commissioned in 1941. The bridge is fragile with damaged pillars and cracks appearing after the 2011 earthquake.