Bridges should be maintained in a scientific way: Chowdhury

West Bengal Congress president Adhir Chowdhury Saturday said bridges should be maintained in a scientific way and it was immaterial whether they were built during British era or Congress regime.

"The moot question is whether the present TMC government has done anything for the upkeep of bridges in its tenure," he said when asked to comment on the Majerhat bridge collapse on September 4. The Majerhat bridge had collapsed in south Kolkata on September 4, killing three persons and injuring 24.

"Does the CM want us to go back to the bullock cart age by banning movement of 20-wheeler vehicles on bridges? Why apart from the Majerhat bridge, another bridge near Siliguri caved in yesterday when a six-wheel truck was passing by?" he asked.

On Banerjee's recent statement about the life of 20 bridges having expired, he said, "she says the life expectancy of 20 bridges has expired.

What is the scientific basis of such a statement? There are hundreds of other bridges all over the state. What about them? She is hoodwinking people by such statements." Claiming the government was only toying with the idea of floating tender for Majerhat bridge repair since 2016 but that did not materialise, Chowdhury said, "We are living in the regime of syndicates."