SANGUEM
With work having stopped since March on account of the Covid pandemic, the much-anticipated parallel bridge at Bendwada-Sanguem now faces an uncertain future as the contractor was seen moving construction material from the site since Tuesday morning.
Work to construct a parallel bridge at Bendwada-Sanguem was started late last year amid much fanfare and the contractor had even laid the foundation for the ground work of the construction of Rs 19 crore parallel bridge.
As work gained momentum, the lockdown and restrictions on account of the Covid pandemic brought all construction activity to a grinding halt in March.
When the contractor failed to resume construction even after inter-state borders were thrown open, Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar contact the contractor to know why work is not being restarted and the contractor alleged that the government had failed to clear his mounting bills for the work done so far.
The reason cited by the contractor was later confirmed by GSIDC officials after Gaonkar contacted a GSIDC official, who had reportedly assured that the issue would be resolved soon and work would restart at the earliest.
However with no signs of the government paying the contractor his reported dues, the contractor has slowly begun moving construction material from the site.
On being informed that the contractor was moving construction material, Gaonkar contacted GSIDC officials who initially claimed paucity of funds, but said they had fixed a meeting with the contractor on Wednesday.
Expressing dismay over the step-motherly treatment to development works in Sanguem constituency by successive governments, Gaonhar said the parallel bridge at Bendwada Sanguem was a necessity.
“Development works in other constituencies are going on in full swing and why should there be a paucity of funds only for projects in Sanguem constituency,” asked the Sanguem MLA.
Many in Sanguem, however, attributed the halt of development works in Sanguem constituency to the recent verbal spat between Gaonkar and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
Meanwhile, Shivyodhya South Goa President Usha Naik has appealed to the government to continue the much-needed construction work of the bridge and to keep politics aside in the development of any constituency.
