Health & safety check likely for clock tower

Kolkata: The iconic clock tower in Lake Town is likely to undergo a health and safety check soon. Bidhannagar MLA Sharadwat Mukherjee said he will be writing to the urban development department to find out if permission was obtained before installing the clock tower and also in proper safety measures like soil testing was done before installing the structure.

This decision comes after the Messi statue was taken down on Monday after the structure swayed in strong wind.

“I am trying to find out if NOC was obtained from relevant departments before installing the clock tower and if soil testing was done. It should not have been done bypassing all safety norms like that of Messi statue. First of all safety is paramount and beautification without safety measures cannot be accepted,” said Mukherjee who was inducted as a cabinet minister into the Suvendu Adhikari govt on Monday.

The 135 feet long clock tower, replica of the Big Ben was installed in 2015 by the then TMC minister Sujit Bose off the VIP Road, at a distance of about 20 meter away from where the Messi statue was installed.

“If we find any shortcomings in the structure if its installation we will try to will reinforce those shortcomings so that structure as well as people are safe,” added Mukherjee.