The Ultadanga flyover after the collapse

Flyovers and bridges across the city will be inspected, many of them for the first time in four or five decades, as part of a health audit in the wake of the collapse of a portion of the Ultadanga flyover.

The decision was taken at a meeting of mayor Sovan Chatterjee and representatives of civic agencies at the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) headquarters on Monday.

The exercise, to be taken up jointly by the CMC and civic agencies, will begin with the inspection of the Dhakuria flyover on Wednesday.

Other flyovers that will undergo a thorough check include the four-decade old Bijan Setu, which runs over Ballygunge station, the nearly 50-year-old Sealdah flyover, Barrackpore bridge built in the 1930s and the bridge over Bagbazar canal on the way to BT Road from the Shyambazar five-point crossing. Newer flyovers such as the ones on Park Street and AJC Bose Road, both built in the last decade, will also be part of the survey.

The city has 58 flyovers, small and big, and many of them are close to five decades old. The normal lifespan of a concrete flyover is estimated at around five decades.

“Fifty years is considered to be the lifespan of a flyover. Flyovers nearing 50 have never had any major maintenance work, yet thousands of vehicles run on them everyday. This survey will actually help locate anything that needs immediate attention,” said an engineer.

Though CMC is not responsible for the maintenance of these flyovers, it decided to take up the exercise as the flyovers fall under CMC areas. “Such an inspection has never been held in the city. It is much-needed as it will give us an update on the condition of the structures. Engineers also thought such a survey necessary,” said Chatterjee.

But the authorities are yet to decide who will be in charge of the maintenance work.