the goan I network
MARGAO
The government has finally proposed to go in for a parallel four-lane overbridge at Rawanfond to cater to the growing traffic requirements and taking into account that the decades old existing bridge has outlived its utility.
While the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) is expected to execute the four-lane bridge project, the existing two-lane bridge, which underwent carbon treatment a year ago, will be retained after repairs as it plays host to pipelines.
Once complete, the parallel four-lane bridge is expected to ease traffic bottle necks along the entire stretch of road which plays host to traffic plying on the eastern bypass, which later joins the National highway at Navelim Church.
Leader of the Opposition, Digambar Kamat inspected the Rawanfond bridge site with GSIDC general manager, Jude Carvalho, KRC and PWD officials as they inspected the proposed site of the parallel bridge along the ring road.
Kamat later told the media that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has agreed to take up the Rawanfond parallel bridge after PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar pointed out that the project may get delayed if taken up by the PWD.
“When I took up the matter with the Chief Minister, Sawant agreed that there ought to be a parallel bridge at Rawanfond given the amount of traffic coming towards Rawanfond via the Eastern bypass,” Kamat said, while expressing his gratitude to the Chief Minister for his decision to rope in the GSIDC to build the parallel bridge.
“The Rawanfond bridge was built by the railways around four decades ago. It has outlived its utility. A year ago, the bridge was repaired with carbon treatment. The bridge is now weak and a parallel bridge is the need of the hour before any untoward incident happens on the existing bridge,” he said.
He said the PWD will hand over the drawings of the existing bridge as well as the details on the acquired land in its possession, adding that the Managing Director of Konkan Railway Corporation has agreed in principle to extend his full cooperation to the state government towards the construction of the parallel four-lane bridge.
To a question, Kamat said the bridge is safe and there’s no need to panic, but hastened to add that it’s better to plan for the future and put in place the infrastructure before some untoward incident happens.
“The existing two-lane bridge will not be demolished since it plays host to pipelines and can be used for traffic movement after repairs,” Kamat said, adding that the Chief Minister has realized the importance of the Rawanfond bridge considering the fact that it is an important link for North-South traffic, especially traffic flowing from the Eastern bypass to down south.
