TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CURCHOREM: Bridges are built to enable people travel across water bodies but a bridge connecting Paroda and Avedem in Quepem regularly gets flooded and is almost invisible during the monsoon season, forcing people to undertake a perilous journey across the bridge.
A PWD team is now expected to visit the site on Tuesday to check the feasibility of a new bridge at the site.
“I have been raising my voice regarding the bride for several years at the panchayat level. The bridge connecting Paroda and Avedem was built some 45 years ago and every monsoon, it gets flooded and water rises above the bridge,” Joe Mario Fernandes of Zerla Bhat, Quepem, told Herald.
“As water flows over the bridge, the upper portion breaks down and no barriers are left on either side of the bridge. It is a very important link to connect both villages to the rest of the places,” informed Fernandes. “Every day, school children have to use the bridge to go to the Immaculate Conception High School in the village. I have also requested officials concerned to inspect the bridge, as heavy traffic also plies over the bridge on a daily basis,” added Fernandes.
When contacted, Cottombi Deputy Sarpanch Krishna Dessai said the proposal for a new bridge was sent to PWD. “PWD (Div XXV) had decided to construct a bridge at the new site under the Disaster Management plan but due to heavy flooding and landslide at Canacona a few years back, the finance was diverted towards rehabilitation and the proposal for new bridge was stuck,” informed Dessai.
Expressing concern and fear for students crossing the bridge, Immaculate Conception HS – Paroda, Manager, Fr Domnick Noronha, said, “We have asked the panchayat to look into the matter at the earliest to avoid any major tragedy.”
When contacted, Assistant Engineer, PWD (Roads), Quepem, Vassudev Gaude said the proposal for a new bridge was sent to Margao PWD Div XXV for administrative approval in 2010 but till date nothing has materialized.
PWD Executive Engineer E Barros said the proposal was sent to DIV VI to study and prepare a report.
The matter was then checked with the Assistant engineer of Div VI, Fatorda-Margao, Vijay Mardolkar, who said, “We have to increase the height of the bridge and the approach roads on both the sides to avoid flooding. We will visit the site on Tuesday and prepare a feasibility report. We will also see if it is possible to construct a new bridge at the same site or at an alternative place,” he informed.
When contacted, Quepem MLA Chandrakant Babu Kavalekar said he has already got an approval from PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar to inspect the site and prepare an estimate. “This is the first time that a part of Paroda, where the bridge exists, falls in my constituency. I have taken this project on priority and will try to solve the problem before next monsoon,” assured Kavlekar.
