the goan I network
CANACONA
Deputy Speaker and MLA Isidore Fernandes and PWD engineers separately inspected the Adhinala bridge at Mahalwada on Tuesday, a day after a portion of the pillar gave way at the Portuguese-era bridge linking Galgibaga with Poinguinim.
According to sources, Fernandes along with locals went to inspect the bridge and they told him how the bridge had deteriorated over the years due to neglect by PWD.
After Fernandes left the site, the Canacona PWD assistant engineer and a junior engineer also inspected the bridge.
Later, Fernandes directed the PWD engineers to give temporary reinforcement to the damaged laterite stones at the pillar.
Reacting to demands from locals for either repairs to the existing bridge or construction of a new bridge, the deputy speaker assured locals that all precautionary measures would be taken to ensure safety of the bridge.
He informed that technical approvals have already been sanctioned for a new bridge at Adhinala, but due to shortage of funds, financial approval may be delayed. “Only after financial approval tenders will be floated to the project,” Fernandes said.
Sunil Paigankar, Sandesh Painginkar, Dilip Parvatkar and Premanand Mahale were some of the locals who accompanied Fernandes during the site inspection of the damaged bridge.
Locals, however, complained that till late Tuesday evening, no repair work had begun on the damaged portion of the Adhinala bridge at Mahalwada.
