From 1995 to 2004, Calcutta has witnessed two chief ministers, three public works department (PWD) ministers, seven departmental secretaries — and two bridges too far.

The construction of two flyovers at Lake Gardens and Bondel Road has not been completed in all these nine years.

And even in Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s do-it-now regime, bridging the gap between the two ends of the two south Calcutta high roads has proved to be mission impossible.

Drafted by then PWD minister Jatin Chakraborty in 1988, former chief minister Jyoti Basu had laid the foundation stones for the two flyovers in 1995, in the presence of then PWD minister Matish Roy.

Kshiti Goswami took over the department after Roy died in 1996. Goswami lost the assembly election in 2001 and Amar Chowdhury stepped in. But even a change in minister and bureaucrat could not get the flyovers off the ground.

The present PWD minister, however, holds out the promise of the two flyovers being completed “in another year’’.

According to the plan, the PWD is implementing the project, with the major portion of the funds being provided by CMDA. The project cost for the Bondel Gate flyover has escalated from Rs 21 crore to Rs 36 crore and that at Lake Gardens has gone up from Rs 24 crore to Rs 38 crore.

“We had to overcome a series of hurdles of land acquisition and rehabilitation, political protests and paucity of funds. I had met then chief minister Jyoti Basu a number of times, seeking his intervention to resolve the problems. A high-powered committee was formed at his instance to oversee the progress of the project, but it was all in vain,’’ says former PWD minister Kshiti Goswami.

According to officials, for the Bondel Road flyover, the main problem was in resettling the slum-dwellers and at Lake Gardens, relocating a godown owned by the food department and a studio of the information and cultural affairs department.

“Year after year passed, but the disputes were not resolved. The government appeared not to take the matters seriously. I am sorry to say that the PWD did not get full administrative and financial support from the government in completing the project,’’ points out Goswami.

“If it takes three years to relocate a godown and a studio, and if it takes another three years to rehabilitate slum-dwellers, then how do you expect timely completion of the project?’’ counters present PWD incumbent Amar Chowdhury.

Goswami, who was in office for six years, points an accusing finger at internal politics.

“I had to face stiff opposition from the local CPM legislator, councillor and local CPM party leaders at each step. I was also heckled by local hoodlums in the presence of CPM leaders at the construction site, but no one said a word. That’s only because the project was being implemented by the PWD and the minister is an RSP nominee,’’ alleges Goswami.

CPM legislator from Ballygunge Rabin Deb begs to differ: “The PWD cannot evade responsibility for the delay and escalation of project cost. The work would have been completed a few years ago had the construction work been awarded to the CMDA.’’