MAPUSA
Villagers of Nadora have urged the panchayat and the government to expedite land acquisition for the construction of a new bridge connecting Zuvem island with mainland Bardez, warning that the existing bridge is the island’s only link to the mainland and has raised concerns over its safety.
The demand was raised at the Nadora gram sabha on Sunday, where residents called for immediate identification of landowners whose properties are required for the approach road to the proposed bridge and sought the issuance of acquisition notices without further delay.
Local resident Pravin Shirodkar said villagers had repeatedly approached the panchayat and government authorities seeking replacement of the existing bridge, but little progress had been made despite several written representations.
“The existing bridge is the only link connecting the island to the mainland. If anything goes wrong with the structure, the people living on the island could be left in serious difficulty,” Shirodkar said.
Another resident said Public Works Department (PWD) officials had earlier informed villagers that plans for a new bridge had been prepared and assured that construction would be taken up. However, the assurances have yet to translate into work on the ground, he said.
Nadora Sarpanch Vishwaja Halarnkar told the gram sabha that the proposed bridge project had been held up primarily because some landowners were unwilling to part with portions of their properties required for the approach road.
She said the PWD had initiated the land acquisition process and issued letters to the concerned landowners.
According to Halarnkar, the department had also appealed to the landowners to voluntarily part with the required portions of land in the larger public interest, which would allow the project to move ahead without waiting for the completion of the lengthy acquisition process.
However, the landowners have so far not agreed to the request, she said.
The sarpanch also said the panchayat was facing resistance from some locals even for construction of the approach road, forcing it to approach the courts in an effort to resolve the issue.
“Several resolutions have been passed by the panchayat to expedite the matter, keeping in mind the interests and safety of the villagers. But new problems continue to crop up. We appeal to the locals to cooperate with the authorities so that construction of the bridge can commence,” Halarnkar said.
The proposal is to construct a new bridge at the site of the existing structure, with the required approach road forming a crucial component of the project.
