The city is poised to get another foot overbridge.

Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to build a foot overbridge in front of St Xavier's High School near Gandhi Maidan. A speeding vehicle mowed down a student of the school a year ago, prompting the PMC decision.

Sources said a speeding bus had crushed a Class XII student of the same school around six years ago while he was crossing the road.

The decision to get a foot overbridge built near St Xavier's High School was taken in the standing committee meeting of the corporation on Tuesday. According to PMC officials, the principal of St Xavier's High School had requested PMC to build the overbridge.

Mayor Afzal Imam, after emerging from the standing committee meeting, said: "PMC will soon issue an expression of interest to select a private agency to build the footbridge in public-private partnership mode."

He said the private agency would be assigned the responsibility of looking after the maintenance of the upcoming facility for around 20-25 years.

PMC's plan seems to have gone well with guardians of students studying in the school. "My boy studies in Class VII here. The entire area always remains clogged. Moreover, there is a turning towards Shri Krishna Memorial Hall. Motorists generally drive at high speed. Speed breakers are absent, risking the lives of students. Once the overbridge is ready, the students would choose to pass the road only through the bridge for safety," said Sunita Singh, a Boring Road resident.

Ragini Verma, a Boring Road resident, whose daughter studies in Class III of Loyola High School, however, said similar initiative must be taken for other schools in Kurji. "Six major schools fall on this route and there is always a heavy rush when they give over. Frequent accidents take place on the stretch. So foot overbridges are a must."

Whip on illegal ads

Mayor Afzal Imam said a decision to serve showcause notice on private coaching centres and other business establishments was taken in Tuesday's standing committee meeting.

A crackdown has been planned on ads on electric poles, dustbins and other government properties without permission.

"The fine amount is yet to be decided. Apart from business establishments, coaching institutes have brazenly violated the norms," said Imam, adding that the draft of the advertisement related act would be amended.

The decision to buy a road-sweeping machine, vehicle-mounted combined sewer cleaning suction-cum-jetting machine of 8500 litres was also taken.