Civic body rolls back parking fee hike
The TMC-dominated Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) raised parking fees in the state capital on April 1. But a week later, the ruling party rolled back that decision. The sequence of events suggests a decision taken by a supposedly autonomous local body was reversed by a political party. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told that the KMC’s mayor Firhad Hakim had been told that the civic body must roll back the parking fee hike. Ghosh said the decision did not have the party’s or chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nod. From April 1, the new parking rates for four-wheelers were Rs 20 an hour for the first two hours, Rs 40 an hour from the third to fifth hour, and Rs 100 for the rest.
UGC nominee in panel to select V-Cs of varsities
The higher education department is going to bring an ordinance to induct a UGC nominee into the search committee that will select full-term vice-chancellors for state-aided universities, sources in the education department said. Since the Assembly is not in session, the department has decided to bring an ordinance to bring about changes in the university act that will pave the way for the induction of the UGC nominee into the search committees. A senior official in the education department said if the Assembly had been in session, such changes would be approved on the floor of the House.
Vidyasagar Setu gets revamped after 30 years
For the first time since the inauguration of the structure across the Hooghly in 1992, the carriageway of Vidyasagar Setu is being overhauled. A portion of the carriageway is being repaired and kept out of bounds for vehicles. The road surface of both the flanks and in the middle is being scrapped off, said officials. “Once the surface on a particular stretch of the carriageway is scrapped off, a layer of mastic asphalt will be laid to ensure that the surface is free of undulation so commuters have a smooth ride,’’ said an official of the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners (HRBC), an agency under the state government, that maintains the bridge. HRBC officials said the work started last week and will continue for this month.
Pranab mondal
Our correspondent in West Bengal
pranabm@newindianexpress.com