Canacona: The three upcoming minor bridges to be constructed parallel to the weak and narrow bridges on NH66 near Karmalghat and will reduce traffic congestion and accidents once commissioned by December 2019.
The work for building these minor bridges beside the old Portuguese era bridges at Karmalghat, Barcem and Goddea Vol is being undertaken by PWD highways. These narrow bridges were the reasons for a number of vehicular accidents in the past years, some of which were fatal. Once commissioned they will bring much awaited relief to the commuters in the region.
Sources at PWD highways said that these three minor bridges are being constructed at a cost of about Rs 6 crore and will eradicate traffic bottlenecks and accidents once commissioned by December 2019.
The NH66 portion of the road from Polem border in South Goa till Balli in Quepem has been termed as “the road to hell”, due to many accidents witnessed in recent years. The reason attributed was due to narrow bridges as well as sharp turns amongst other things. However, once the bypass road linking Charasta to Mashem and these minor bridges are built there will less accidents feel the local community.
Anil Bhagat a social activist from Canacona taluka expressed happiness over the start of the construction of the three minor bridges. “These over hundred years old bridges have been rendered weak structurally as they were not designed to carry the present-day load of traffic; there was also a fear that the bridges might collapse cutting off the only road transportation link to southern India”, said Bhagat. Adding further Bhagat said that the blind curves on the NH66 in Canacona also needs widening on priority to make the road safer.
Sources said that these minor bridges are being built as the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry under its Indian Bridge Management System (IBMS) under taken a survey and had concluded that these bridges needs to be replaced.
