Kolkata, Dec 26 (PTI) Cautioning people not to light fires in congested areas during winter, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that the recent blaze at a slum underneath Durgapur Bridge here has “immensely affected” the structure.
“The recent fire at the slum areas underneath the Durgapur Bridge has affected the structure’s health. We conducted a test of the structure after the fire and found that excessive heat badly affected the bridge. So, we have to restrict the traffic movement on the bridge,” Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat.
On Saturday night, a massive fire broke out at a slum underneath the Durgapur Bridge in south Kolkata’s New Alipore area, gutting several shanties.
“The land where the fire broke out belongs to the Railways. I will ask them to keep an eye on people coming there and starting to live there. I am not asking you (Rail) to evict them, though,” she said, adding that the government would help those affected by the blaze.
“We have to repair the bridge and for that, we require a lot of money,” she said referring to her government constructing a new structure after the Majerhat Bridge collapsed in September 2018.
“I will ask people not to light fires in congested areas but do so in open spaces in winter and fully douse them afterwards,” she added.
The chief minister said her cabinet on Thursday approved the construction of a shopping mall on a piece of land opposite the Alipore Zoo.
She said that one acre of land in each district would be given free of cost to a private company for building shopping malls.
“Two floors of the malls should be reserved for self-help groups and artisans. The rest will be given to shops, community halls, and cinema halls. The land is ready with us,” she said, further expressing her hopes that the move would provide employment opportunities.
She announced that an Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub will be developed in the state. PTI SCH ACD
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