Hooghly River Bridges Act, 1968

No: 32 Dated: Nov, 28 1968

THE HOOCHLY RIVER BRIDGES ACT, 1968

Act No. 32 of 1968

    An Act to provide for the construction, marintenance and control of bridges across the river Hooghly within the port of Calcutta.

    In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the. West Bengal State Legislature (Delegation of Powers) Act, 1968, the President is pleased to enact as follows :-

1. Short title and application:- (1) This Act may be called the Hooghly River Bridges Act, 1968.

(2) It shall apply to the port of Calcutta as defined, from time to time, under section 5 of the Indian Ports Act, 1908.

2. Definitions:- In this Act, unless the context otherwise rcquires,—

(a) " bridge" includes a tunnel ;

(b) "Commissioners" means the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners, referred to in sub-section (1) of section 3 ;

(c) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette; (d) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act.

3. Provisions of the Act to be carried out by Commisiomers:- (1) The duty of carrying out the provisions of this Act shall, subject to such conditions and limitations as are hereinafter contained, be vested in a body of Commissioners to be called the. 

(2) The Commissioners shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal and shall by the said name sue and be sued.

(3) The State Government may, by notification, appoint the members for the time being (by whatever name known) of any local or statutory authority as the Commissioners.

(4) The Commissioners shall be entitled to receive such fees for the performance of their duties under this Act as the State Government may prescribe and such fees shall be paid from the Hooghly River Bridge Fund maintained under section 13.

4. Funstioas of Commissioners:- The functions of the Commissioners shall be—

(a) to construct bridge or bridges across the river Hooghly according to such design, and of such materials and quality and at such place or places together with such approaches as the Commissioners may, subject to the approval of the State Government, consider suitable; and

(b) to maintain, control and improve such bridge or bridges together with the approaches.

5. Power to raise loans:- (1) The Commissioners may, with the previous approval of the State Government and subject to such terms and conditions as the State Government may think fit to impose, raise such loans as are necessary for carrying out their functions under this Act.

(2) All loans raised under sub-section (1) shall be guaranteed by the State Government as to repayment of principal and payment of interest at such rate as the State Government may, in consultation with the Commissioners, fix at the time the loan is raised.