PANAJI: A preliminary inspection report by a Mobile Bridge Inspection Unit (MBIU) from Hyderabad-based Shri Infotech has raised serious safety concerns about the 50-year-old Saleri bridge, the only link between Agonda and Khola villages on the MDR-49 route.
The team conducted both Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and Destructive Testing (DT) methods to assess the bridge's condition. NDT revealed unsatisfactory and doubtful results, prompting the team to carry out a Destructive test using core-cutting methods to extract samples for laboratory analysis. The final report is expected within 15 days of the analysis.
A reliable source from the inspection team revealed that while two of the four pillars were deemed safe, the first and fourth pillars of the four-span bridge were found to be seriously weakened. Moreover, the bridge girders also showed signs of deterioration and remain under review pending lab confirmation. The final assessment will categorise the bridge’s condition into five safety levels to determine whether repair, rehabilitation, or demolition is necessary.
During the core-cutting process yesterday, the MBIU team used a specialised crane to lower technicians and collect structural samples. Traffic was halted for about two and a half hours.
Residents of Agonda and Khola, who have been raising alarms about the ageing bridge since last year, are now demanding immediate government intervention. They say the bridge has outlived its lifespan and warn that it could collapse if subjected to heavy traffic. Locals report that the cement has weakened and steel components have rusted significantly.
In February, following complaints from villagers, a team of engineers and consultants from the Public Works Department conducted a preliminary visit, but no repairs were initiated.
With the bridge’s structural integrity in doubt and local anxiety growing, the locals urge the government not just to repair but construct a new bridge altogether to ensure long-term safety.
