Team Herald
PONDA: The new 110 meters long Khandepar Bridge will be inaugurated during the fortnight before Christmas, informed PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar.
Dhavalikar on Saturday inspected the Khandepar Bridge, 18m wide and 110m long built at a cost of Rs 100 crore, alongwith South Goa MP Adv Narendra Sawaikar and officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Stating that the bridge is almost at its completion, Dhavalikar said that the bridge will be thrown open for public use in December at any date between December 9 and 22. The State is awaiting the confirmation of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s schedule to inaugurate the bridge.
Dhavalikar said “Due to a lot of hardship and traffic congestion on old bridge and a growing demand from locals to open the bridge for traffic, the Bridge would be thrown open to public and inaugural day would be decided according to the convenience of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari any day between December 9 and 22.”
He informed that the road on Ponda side of the bridge and 7 km four lane road stretch of this project which is progressing would be completed along with technical works of Khandepar and will be fully opened to the public in March 2019. The entire project was earlier sanctioned for Rs 297 crore and later revised cost sanctioned, including the bridge, a four-lane road, flyover and underpass, is Rs 355 crore.
“The project covers a stretch of about 7km that will connect Khandepar to old RTO office in Ponda”, he said.
The construction contract work was awarded to M/s M Venkata Rao Infra Project Pvt Ltd and the work began on April 7, 2015 and the stipulated date of completion was April 16, 2018. However, the project was extended with April 16 2019 as the date for completion.
Dhavalikar further informed that Karnataka Government is widening its Belgaum to Anmod road of NH towards Goa side which will block Goa’s access to Belgaum on this route. “I would discuss with Karnataka Government and NHAI for alternative arrangement of routes and meeting in this regard would be held shortly”, he added.
