OLD GOA
The recent damage to a portion of the Ribandar causeway may have been a blessing in disguise, as a long stretch of the road was found to have developed depressions and cracks, which could have resulted in a major incident if it had gone unnoticed and unrepaired.
The PWD has now repaired the damaged portion of the causeway as well as depressions and cracks along the historic road, thereby averting a major threat to motorists and commuters along the route.
A reliable source at the PWD informed that apart from the collapsed portion of the causeway, a long stretch of the road had developed depressions and cracks, which have been repaired.
“An inspection of the entire causeway revealed depressions and cracks along the edge of the road, which if left unrepaired could have resulted in an untoward incident,” the source added.
“The issue was immediately notified to the North Goa collector and it was decided to keep the road closed for all traffic till the issue was resolved,” the source said.
Meanwhile, CCP Mayor Rohit Monserrate has said the Ribandar causeway would take 2-3 more days to reopen as the PWD will take up the hotmixing of the road.
“I have been told that the PWD will start hotmixing the road and it will take 2-3 more days for it to be reopened,” Monserrate informed The Goan.
To a question that cracks and depressions were also detected on the road, Monserratte replied, “The road had cracked in one place. The road is over 300 years old. The work has to be done carefully,” he added while stating that he is keeping a watch on the progress.
The Ribandar causeway, formerly known as the Ponte Conde de Linhares (Count of Linhares Bridge), is 3.2 km in length connecting Panaji and Ribandar. It was built in 1633-34 under the direction of then Viceroy of Portuguese India, Miguel de Noronha, the 4th Count of Linhares, after whom it was named and the original structure of the bridge was designed and built by the Jesuits of the College of St Paul in Old Goa.
The bridge was considered to have been the longest in the world when it was completed in 1634.
