The ongoing construction of the third Mandovi Bridge has thrown life on the Mapusa-Panjim route into chaos, with traffic jams becoming a regular feature near Sai Service, Porvorim during peak hours
Traffic on the Panjim-Mapusa route has increased substantially in recent years; an estimated 50,000 vehicles travel on this road every day. Therefore, the State government decided to construct a third bridge over the Mandovi River at a cost of Rs 403 crore.
Construction of the four-lane, cable-stayed bridge began after carrying out soil investigations and is expected to be completed by January 26, 2017.
The Manager (Engineering) of Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) Sandip Chodnekar said the new bridge would drastically reduce traffic congestion near the other two bridges at Porvorim and near the KTC junction, Panjim.
“66 percent of vehicular traffic is expected to go over the third bridge. A flyover from Merces will join this new bridge to enable traffic to proceed towards Ponda and Margao,” said Chodnekar.
Since the construction began, commuters have experienced nightmarish traffic conditions. According to daily travellers, a 15-minute trip from Mapusa to Panjim now takes over an hour. An irate two-wheeler rider said, “It’s a total mess and it’s painful. The government is not bothered about the difficulties of the commuters.”
A fortnight ago, an accident caused a major snarl near the near Sai Service. As the police took a long time to reach the spot, the queue of the vehicles proceeding towards Panjim extended beyond the District Institute of Education and Training.
Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte feels that a third Mandovi bridge is unnecessary at the moment. He said, “This bridge will cost the State exchequer over Rs 600 crore by the time it is completed. The government should have given priority for a Zuari Bridge. Work on the third Mandovi bridge started without proper planning, and so traffic jams at peak hours near Sai Service have become an everyday affair. If an accident takes place near the bridge, the situation becomes chaotic. The government should not allow heavy vehicles on this road during peak hours. They should be allowed to ply between 11 pm to 8 am only.
He continued, “Secondly, the government should introduce more ferries at the Betim ferry point and also start a ferry service at Malim, where a jetty already exists.
This will take pressure off the bridge. Thirdly, to widen the road, the government has closed the drains beside the road near the Assembly complex, due to which rainwater has started accumulating on the road. The government should act immediately to solve this problem.”
