The Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has sought “traffic clearance” from Lalbazar to conduct a load test on Bijon Setu following the bridge inspection committee’s concerns over its health. The test, according to CMDA engineers, will decide the bridge’s weight-bearing capacity.The CMDA had earlier proposed to close down the bridge between September 13 and 16 for the test. “No decision has been taken regarding Bijon Setu,” Santosh Pandey, DC, traffic, said.The CMDA had then said that postponing the test — apparently to make way for puja shopping in the Gariahat area — would delay the assessment of the bridge’s stability. A firm headquartered in Los Angles in the US and a consultancy agency in Calcutta had marked Bijon Setu “grey”, suggesting repairs, after Sealdah, Ultadanga and Chingrighata flyover, which were marked “red”. Code red meant these structures needed immediate repairs.After completing the load tests on the three, the CMDA now wants to carry out the test on Bijon Setu, which recently received a fresh coat of paint.

Source: The Telegraph October 17, 2019 21:33 UTC