18. Powers in case of default by Commissioners. - If in the opinion of the [State Government] the Commissioners have made default in the performance of their duties under this Act, the [State Government] may, by notification, dissolve the body established by section 3 and may, by notification, establish another body of trustees for the purpose of this Act, or take under their own management the construction, maintenance, improvement and control of the new bridge and its approaches and the arrangements for the service and repayment of [any loan] raised under the provisions of section 6; and thereafter for all the purposes of this Act the powers conferred and duties imposed by this Act upon the Commissioners and all contracts entered into or liabilities incurred by the Commissioners under this Act shall be deemed to be transferred to [the said trustees] or to the [State Government], as the case may be, may enter on the new bridge and its approaches and may take possession of the same and of all properties and moneys vested by this Act in the Commissioners.
[18A. Lands and structures of the new bridge when to be exempt from or when to be liable to municipal taxation. - Lands required for the construction of the new Howrah Bridge, including its foundations, approaches and slopes or for any improvement thereof together with all structures on such lands forming part of the said bridge which vest in the Commissioners under sub-section (1) of section 13, -(i)shall be exempt, or(ii)shall not be exemptfrom the consolidated rate leviable under section 165 of the Calcutta Municipal Act, 1951 or leviable under section 124 of the Calcutta Municipal Act, 1923, as extended to the municipality of Howrah according as-(i)they are not, or(ii)they arelet out to tenants or otherwise utilized for deriving income.Explanation. - For the purpose of this section the amount received under any agreement by the Commissioners from the Calcutta Tramways Company, Limited for the use of the new Howrah Bridge by the latter shall not be regarded as rent or income.][19. Power to State Government to make rules. - (1) The State Government may, after previous publication, make rules, for carrying out the purposes of this Act.(2)In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power the State Government may make rules -(a)for regulating the collection of taxes which may be imposed under this Act and the payment thereof to the Commissioners;(b)for prescribing the method of examination by auditors under section 14 of the accounts kept by the Commissioners;(c)for the safe and convenient use of the new Howrah Bridge and the approaches thereto and any tramway constructed thereon;(d)for the passage of boats and vessels under or through the new Howrah Bridge.][20. Power to prohibit the sinking of, or remove, tube-well. - The State Government may, in Order to ensure the safety of the new Howrah Bridge or its approaches, -(i)prohibit the sinking of tube-wells, or(ii)direct the removal of any particular tube-well already sunk, likely in its opinion to endanger such safety, -within such distance from the piers of the said bridge as may be specified by it by notification, after consultation with the Commissioners, the Corporation of Calcutta and the Commissioners of the Municipality of Howrah.]
