Kolkata diary: After Mumbai bridge collapse, city FoBs to be checked by civic authorities

Many of the FoBs in the city are more than 35 years old and need immediate repairs and some, including the ones in Sealdah and Ultadanga, have been termed vulnerable.
Kolkata diary: After Mumbai bridge collapse, city FoBs to be checked by civic authorities

Kolkata bridges to be checked 

After the Mumbai foot over bridge (FoB) collapse, which claimed six lives and left over 35 commuters injured, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has geared up to assess the state of FoBs in the city.

Many of the FoBs in the city are more than 35 years old and need immediate repairs and some, including the ones in Sealdah and Ultadanga, have been termed ‘vulnerable’. The FoB in Gariahat is also crying out for immediate repairs. 

New Kolkata-Kathmandu tri-weekly flights

Nepal’s private airliner Buddha Air will commence tri-weekly flights between Kolkata and Kathmandu from May 27 onwards. The airlines will deploy its ATR 72-500 aircraft for the flight service between the two cities every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The carrier was poised to begin the inaugural flights in mid-April but has postponed it to May end due to the impending Lok Sabha elections, as the occupancy in Kathmandu-bound flights is expected to be low during the polls. Additionally, the airline will also operate Kolkata, Gangasagar and Puri tour packages for Nepalese visitors.

25 shanties near Dakshineswar Temple gutted in fire

Some 25 shanties near Dakshineswar Temple in north Kolkata were gutted in a blaze, which is believed to have been caused by fire from a stove in one of the shanties. Though no casualties were reported in the fire that spread across the slum within 30 minutes, the entire slum was burned to the ground by the time fire tenders arrived and brought the blaze under control.

The shanties had come up over the past seven years and most of the dwellers are daily wagers. 

Cabbie arrested for riding over dog

A cab driver, with six pending cases against him for rash driving, was chased by students, apprehended and handed over to police for allegedly riding over a dog at National University of Judicial Sciences in Salt Lake.

The driver, Souvik Roy (42), did not slow down the vehicle even after the dog came under the front wheel. Roy has been booked under Sections 279 (rash and negligent driving) and 429 (killing or maiming of animals).

He faces prison term, for up to 5 years, if found guilty. The incident comes two months after two nursing students clubbed 16 puppies to death at NRS Medical College and Hospital.

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