News for all the lovers around the world who have put a love lock on the famous Paris bride! City officials have decided to remove the padlocks starting Monday.
For years, tying a love lock on the Pont des Arts before throwing the key into the River Seine right below has been followed as tourist tradition. But the now-iconic bridge is buckling under the weight of such devotion, and authorities are desperate to stop the craze.
Last year police hurriedly ushered tourists off the Pont des Arts when a section of the footbridge collapsed under the weight of the locks covering the 155m (509-ft) long bridge. Plastic panels were put up in places to deter lovebirds, and authorities launched a drive to get tourists to upload selfies instead of attaching a lock.
Deploring 'destruction of heritage' and a security risk for tourists on the overloaded Pont des Arts, Paris officials have decided, enough is enough and will remove all locks from Monday.
"We will remove nearly one million padlocks, or 45 tonnes," said city official Bruno Julliard, criticising the "ugliness" of the locks on some of Paris's most beautiful bridges.
The metal grills of the bridge will be replaced with works of art over the summer, and will later be replaced with clear panels. "We want Paris to remain the capital of love and romance," Julliard said, adding a campaign encouraging lovers to express their love in different ways - such as the selfie initiative - would get underway soon.
Bruno Julliard, Paris`deputy mayor said that they still wanted the city to be the capital of love and romance, but there would be new initiatives to encourage people to express their love in other ways.
'Love locks' to be removed from Paris' famed Pont des Arts bridge
