HERITAGE WORLDWIDE e newsletter

Hope floats for Hope Bridge

Melvyn Thomas | Jan 20, 2012, 01.19AM IST


SURAT: A public interest litigation (PIL) against dismantling of 130-year-old Hope Bridge in the diamond city is still pending before Gujarat high court. The arguments in the PIL filed by retired IPS officer J S Bindra and others concluded on Thursday and the HC verdict in the matter is likely in a week's time. The dismantling of the heritage bridge was stopped by the high court until its verdict in the matter. However, urban planners of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) have surprised heritage lovers, including the petitioners, by proposing construction of a new bridge at the site of the existing Hope Bridge in the SMC's draft budget of 2012-13.

The draft budget presentation was made public on Wednesday by municipal commissioner MK Das. Heritage lovers have been trying to save this monument. It is only when their pleas were not heard by the civic body and its rulers that retired IPS J S Bindra and others had filed a PIL demanding that the 130-year-old structure be preserved.

Civic body sources said an affidavit has been filed in the high court explaining the stand taken by the state government in the entire issue. The civic body is waiting for the HC judgment and then would take further action in the matter, they added.

"We are not against preserving Hope Bridge, but not on the 'as is where is basis'. We want to preserve the two span of Hope Bridge either at the Heritage Square site at Chowk Bazaar or at the riverfront site, so that the coming generation of this city would know about its glittering history," said Jatin Shah, city engineer.

About the construction of a new bridge at the existing Hope Bridge site, Shah said, "The new bridge will take care of the vehicular traffic between Rander and Chowk Bazaar. Over 4.5 lakh commuters use Nehru Bridge. The new bridge will ensure more driving space for the commuters."