the goan I network
VASCO
Railway authorities on Friday finally began maintenance works on the footbridge connecting Driver’s Hill with Vasco, but rubbished rumours that it had grown weak and was on the verge of collapse.
The maintenance of the footbridge was a long-pending demand of locals since the last few years and ward councillor Rochana Borkar had made several attempts to get railway authorities to undertake maintenance works on the footbridge, especially as its one end terminates on a hillock which witnessed a minor landslide last monsoon.
At the time, railway authorities had built a retaining wall of sand bags and had assured people that the footbridge was safe to use and that maintenance works would be taken up soon.
As the floor of the footbridge was being removed for the maintenance work, a video went viral on social media showing a part of the bridge without a floor and claiming it to be dangerous for people, who could be caught unawares especially while using it after dusk.
The video had also showed tiles scattered on the road below the footbridge. Some social media users had also claimed that sand bags used by railway authorities below the hillock had begun cracking open, making the footbridge very dangerous for pedestrians.
Railways authorities on Friday had approached various authorities, including the traffic cell, requesting them to close the road below the footbridge while work was underway.
Sources said the road below the footbridge connecting Baina with Vasco is likely to be closed for traffic for about a week.
