The civic authorities have decided to take over the upkeep of Bijon Setu, nearly 30 years after it was built by Calcutta Improvement Trust (CIT). The flyover connects Gariahat and EM Bypass via Kasba.

The Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) will also take over the maintenance of over a dozen roads developed by the CIT in the Golf Garden area.

The civic body’s decision to maintain the roads and street lights is likely to affect over 100,000 people living in the Royal Calcutta Golf Course, Bijoygarh and Bikramgarh areas, and on Prince Gulam Hussein Shah Road and Prince Anwar Shah Road.

The CIT has long been requesting the civic body to take over the maintenance of Bijon Setu and the Golf Garden area.

The previous Trinamul Congress-BJP civic board had agreed to assume the responsibility only on condition that the state government or the CIT provide the funds.

Under the CIT Act, 1911, the civic body is liable to take over the maintenance of infrastructure created by the trust.

The CMC had earlier taken over the maintenance of a number roads, parks and zones developed by the CIT and the Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), pointed out municipal commissioner Alapan Bandyopadhyay.

“We have, for the first time, floated a tender for the upkeep of Bijon Setu and for preparing a report on its present condition,” said mayoral council member (roads) Tuhin Bera.

According to him, Udayshankar Sarani of the Golf Garden area has already been included in the CMC’s pilot project of shaving the road surfaces with milling machines to reduce their height. The work will be carried out in collaboration with German firm Writgen.

Officer-on-special duty in the CIT Asok Mohan Chattopadhyay welcomed the civic body’s move.