PWD to take over maintenance of 387 bridges & culverts of Irrigation dept

Kolkata: As many as 387 bridges and culverts of the state Irrigation and Waterways department are to be handed over to the state Public Works Department (PWD) for proper round-the-year maintenance.

The decision regarding the handing over of the bridges, which were constructed by the state Irrigation and Waterways department, to the state PWD, was taken in a meeting held on September 14 after the caving in of Majerhat Bridge.

Sources said that the decision to hand over the bridges and culverts was taken to ensure better maintenance as the PWD has adequate expertise to carry out the same.

Following the decision, necessary assessment was carried out and 387 bridges and culverts were identified to be handed over to PWD. It has been learnt that 154 such bridges and culverts have already been handed over to the state PWD by the Irrigation and Waterways department. The work is in progress to hand over the remaining 233 bridges.

It has been stated that the Irrigation and Waterways department will also be handing over all relevant drawings, on the basis of which the bridges were constructed. The documents have to be handed over to the concerned executive engineers of the state PWD.

The documents are essential in carrying out necessary repair work in future. The executive engineers were also directed to carry out inspection of the structures to assess their condition and also to take immediate steps for repair work, if necessary.

The state government has taken a series of steps following the Majerhat Bridge incident and handing over the bridges and culverts to the state PWD is one of the crucial decisions.

Data containing detailed report of the 154 bridges and culverts that have already been handed over to the state PWD, has been prepared.

The data contains information including length of the bridges, width of carriage way, year of construction, its location and name of the road on which it is situated. The report also contains information mentioning whether the structures need immediate repair or if it is in good condition.

Sources said that many of the 154 bridges and culverts were constructed before 1963. One of the structures that has been handed over was constructed in 1937 and is situated on Bolpur-Suri Road at Shekhampur mouza of Sainthia Block in Birbhum.

There are some structures in Bankura district, which were also handed over to the state PWD. They were constructed between 1961 and 1963.