UP to build 387 bridges by next year

Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today laid the foundation stones for 140 bridges, to be completed by Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation Ltd (UPSBCL). The corporation will build 387 bridges by June next year. Of these, work has started on 247 bridges.

At a function held at his residence today, Yadav announced the inauguration of 172 bridges in the state, which have been completed.

In the tenure of the present state government, the corporation has completed the construction of 312 bridges, at an average of 104 bridges per year. The government has spent Rs 600 crore on these.

Of the 312 bridges, 140 were inaugurated earlier. In the past three years in the Lucknow division, Rs 74 crore has been spent on these bridges.

Till date the state government has sanctioned Rs 2, 279 crore on the construction of about 531 bridges in the state.

Besides these, the corporation at present is handling the construction of about 387 bridges at Rs 1,885 crore. Of these, 46 bridges are 33-km-long. These include railway overbridges also.

The corporation is planning to complete around 145 bridges by the end of this financial year. The ongoing work in the Lucknow division involves Rs 232 crore for the construction of 41 bridges.

Talking to Business Standard, UPSBCL Joint MD Rajesh Chandra said: "We hope to finish the construction of all the 387 brigades by June next year. The major bridges will take about two years for completion while the minor ones will be done within a year. This means a lot of ongoing projects will be finished by March next year itself."

In Lucknow three major bridges would be completed by March this year. These also include one bridge at the Gomti barrage, involving the construction of a 272-metre-long six-lane footpath and a cycle track along with 650 metres connecting roads.