PANAJI
All four lanes of the Atal Setu bridge which was under repairs to rectify the pot-hole ridden faulty riding surface since mid-December last and which was the cause of massive traffic jams on either side of the river, were finally opened on Sunday evening.
Chief Minsiter Pramod Sawant had earlier on Sunday morning announced that the bridge will be fully opened and thanked the people for their patience and going through hardships due to the traffic disruptions during the period the repair work was being executed by the GSIDC and the contractor.
The iconic cable-stayed bridge had been stricken with problems ever since it was inaugurated four years ago in 2019. The most glaring problem was of multiple pot-holes recurring every now and then on account of a faulty water-proofing membrane sandwiched between the bridge's deck and the riding surface asphalt layer.
The perennial traffic jams witnessed over past several weeks had even prompted the Bombay High Court at Goa to take up the matter suo-motto and seek explanations from the various government departments involved. The matter is pending before the court.
