KMC proposal to heritage commission for gradation of buildings
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation is considering sending a proposal to the West Bengal Heritage Commission for revision in the formula of gradation of heritage structures.
At a time when the demand for revival of trams on previously operational lines is growing louder, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has recommended closure of some more routes to the state Transport Department. According to the mayor of KMC, Firhad Hakim, a few roads in Kolkata are in very dangerous condition. Citing examples, the mayor noted that that the stretch in front of Kalighat Bridge is in bad shape.
A meeting of the KMC with the state Transport Department was also said to have taken place. “There are a few roads in the city that are in a very dangerous state due to tram lines that are almost non-existent. Trams will never run on those lines. The routes like those in Kalighat and parts of Kidderpore at Diamond Harbour Road and Rabindra Sarani in Chitpore are in very poor condition.
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The tram lines at some of the places are in dangerous condition. People including bike riders are falling off their vehicles and that could result in a major accident. We had tried to remove the tram lines from there and made efforts to repair the roads properly. However, one person, in the name of heritage, has gone to the high court and an order has come that tram lines cannot be removed. We have said that while we are keeping four routes operational, the state Transport Department does not want to run the remaining lines and hence should be removed.”
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The mayor further added: “I hope the honourable court gives its verdict soon, otherwise some people could lose their life. As the court has said not to do anything to those stretches, we are not carrying out work on those roads. As the Transport Department is a party to the case, we have given our suggestion to the department.
But as we are not getting the date of hearing, there are fears for the lives of people. What we want is, considering the importance of the matter, the court does something about it. Whatever be the verdict of the honourable court, but as the roads are lying in battered condition, these are posing risks to the lives of people.
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