The third Mandovi Bridge (Atal Setu) was hurriedlyinaugurated on 5th February 2019, but over two years later the bridge is yet tobe complete in all respects. There are huge piles of debris lying all over atboth ends of the bridge. The wing entering Panaji city end is also yet to becompleted with the work abandoned for over a year.
With hundreds of crores having been spent the government wasduty bound to ensure that very rigorous Quality Control Standards were notbypassed in their attempt to hastily get it completed. The glaring defects thathave so quickly surfaced on this bridge is a matter of concern and disturbing.Let us keep our fingers crossed on the assurance that this bridge would lastover 100 years. The construction may have been entrusted to an otherwisereputed company Larsen & Toubro but a lot of ancillary works having beenallocated to petty sub“contractors and the shoddy execution was there for allto see.
Less said the better on that infamous 2014 concretisation ofthe Miramar-Dona Paula Road. We were assured that it would be a state-of-the-artroad having a dedicated cycling track. But the end product is there on publicdisplay. What we can see today across Goa is also the glaring poor constructionof highways and connecting flyovers. All this is unacceptable as taxpayersmoney has to be very judiciously spent with quality of the works never evercompromised.
A successful project is one which can achieve a balancebetween cost, time, quality and meets the agreed goals of the project. Thissuccess can only be achieved with transparency, accountability and zerotolerance to corruption.
The government would be well advised to inaugurate anyproject only when it is completed in all respects. Also the foundation of anyproject be laid when the work actually commences. Across Goa we have a galleryof foundation stones rotting for years with not even a brick laid.
To ensure that every project is properly and meticulouslyexecuted, we need to ensure Quality Control by persons well equipped totechnically and administratively monitor and ascertain strict compliance ofestablished standards. There can never be any room or excuse for any substandardconstruction or a waste of taxpayers’ money.
The onus is also on the citizens to be very vigilant aboutpublic projects coming up in their neighbourhood as ensuring quality,sustainable infrastructure with respect for the environment, is everyone's responsibility.
