Activists demand police action against contractor and consultant
A memorandum is handed over to Margao PI Suraj Samant demanding an FIR against the contractor executing work on the Rawanfond bridge.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
A group of citizens, including Congress workers, lodged a complaint at the Margao Police Station with a demand to register an FIR and investigate the cause of the damage to the old Rawanfond bridge approach road, leading to its closure and restricted use.
In an 11-point complaint handed over to PI Suraj Samant, the citizens pointed out that the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (GSIDC) has undertaken the construction of a 6-lane Road Over Bridge (ROB) including approaches at Rawanfond, Margao.
It was stated that the contractor, with the consent and knowledge of the consultant, had excavated the embankment of the existing bridge to construct the foundation of the first three lanes of the bridge.
The complainants charged that the very fact that the foundation structure on the southern side of the railway tracks is still below ground level, at a time when the normal monsoon season was just a week away, clearly suggests negligence on the part of the contractor and consultant. And on account of the existing embankment having been left open, the soil quickly eroded with just a few hours of rainfall.
"Following the initial total closure and present partial closure, the general public and vehicle users have been subjected to immense stress and hardships due to the diversion of vehicles. This diversion not only increased the travel time, but has also led to traffic congestion at various points in the town of Margao, causing mental stress to the general public. And further losses to the government/traffic cell and police due to the deputation of personnel for traffic management and barricading the area," it was pointed out in the complaint,” Congress leader Savio Coutinho later told the media.
Activist Maria do Carmo Pereira slammed the authorities for chopping down beautiful and healthy trees whose roots were holding the soil. "This is a manmade disaster," she said.
Another activist, Zarina D'sa, criticised the government for "fooling the people with claims of development when actually Goa is being destroyed".
The delegation comprising Savio Coutinho, Lalan Parsekar, Aziz Shah, Bala do Carmo Pereira, Zarina D'sa, Camilo Camara, Anwar Naroo and Iftiyaz Sayed made a strong demand for the registration of an FIR against the contractor and consultant, and appropriate action against those responsible.
