Dehradun: Taking seriously the issue of safety of bridges in the state, Chief Secretary Smt. Radha Raturi has instructed the Public Works Department to prepare and implement clear SOPs and guidelines for the Mining, Forest and Irrigation Department. CS Smt. Radha Raturi has given strict instructions to strictly follow the safety standards in the construction and maintenance of bridges and constant monitoring of the construction works. she has instructed the District Magistrates along with all the concerned departments to continuously supervise the construction and maintenance of bridges. CS has given instructions to install CCTV to stop mining in restricted areas. Smt. Radha Raturi said that the helpline mechanism should be strengthened so that the public can complain about mining activities in restricted areas. Public awareness should be increased in this regard.
Chief Secretary Smt. Radha Raturi, during the review meeting of Public Works Department, Forest Department, Irrigation Department and Mining Department in the Secretariat regarding the safety of bridges in the state, directed the Irrigation Department to provide river training in upstream and downstream for the safety of bridges located on the river. For the construction of flood protection work, instructions have been given to do hydraulic analysis on the basis of hydrological parameters and design it. Chief Secretary Smt Raturi has instructed all the concerned departments to work with an integrated approach.
In the meeting, the Public Works Department informed that due to excessive rains/floods last year, 97 bridges under the Public Works Department had become unsafe, out of which now 18 bridges are out of the unsafe category and repair work is in progress in 49 bridges and Departmental proceedings are in progress in other bridges.
Secretary Dr. Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Additional Secretary Vineet Kumar and officials of Forest, Mining and Irrigation Department were present in the meeting.
