Kolkata's iconic clock tower in Lake Town is likely to undergo a health and safety check soon. Bidhannagar MLA Sardawat Mukherjee stated that he will write to the urban development department to inquire whether proper permissions were obtained before the tower's installation and if essential safety measures, such as soil testing, were conducted.
This decision follows the removal of a Lionel Messi statue on Monday after the structure swayed dangerously in strong winds. "I am trying to find out if a no-objection certificate was obtained from relevant departments before installing the clock tower and if soil testing was done. It should not have been installed bypassing all safety norms, like the 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 government on Monday.
The 135-foot-long clock tower, a replica of the Big Ben, was installed in 2015 by the then TMC minister Sujit Bose off VIP Road, approximately 20 meters away from where the Messi statue was placed. "If we find any shortcomings in the structure or its installation, we will try to reinforce those shortcomings so that the structure as well as people are safe," added Mukherjee.
