Satrem Villagers and Valpoikars are demanding that the Government needs to rebuild Portuguese era bridge and a road again which connects to Karnataka state.
The Satrem villagers and Valpoikars are demanding the government and their local MLA, Vishwajit Rane, to rebuild the Portuguese era bridge and the road, which falls in the wildlife area of Satrem village. The bridge is damaged and is in a bad condition for the past several decades. That bridge and road was built by the Portuguese from Satrem village and connected to the Karnataka state in the year 1935.
According to Satrem villagers, after Goa’s liberation, there was no inter-state road connecting Goa and Karnataka state. At that time, all the locals from Goa and Karnataka were using this broken bridge and the bad road, by using wooden poles on both the sides of bridge.
“To reach Belgavi, from Querim Village, we have to travel a very long distance of almost 150 kms. There are many dangerous turns as the road comes under the Western Ghats. But from Satrem village, we can reach Belgaum within 50 kms and also there are no dangerous turns and ghats,” says Satrem villagers.
“When the Indian Government had launched the Operation Vijay, at that time Indian Soldiers had started coming to Goa, and to stop them from entering in Goa, the Portuguese soldiers had broken the both sides of that bridge with bomb,” say locals from Valpoi.
The unemployment rate in Valpoi constituency is increasing year by year, there are around four thousand unemployed youths in Valpoi constituency.
“If Government intends rebuilding and developing the Satrem village bridge and road again, and later on if Goa Government is promoting eco tourism, then it will help the local youth in getting employment and also start small business on their own, like hotels, restaurants, tea stalls, etc,” say Valpoikars.
“That bridge was built in 1935. My father worked to built it as a labourer. And after Goa’s liberation all the rural villagers from Karnataka, and Goa, were using that bridge for inter state visits in each state. Now we demand that the Government rebuild this bridge. Make this place, an eco tourism spot. As there are many waterfalls in this area eco tourism will create jobs to Valpoi constituents,” says Zano Gaonkar, a villager.
That whole area, falls under the wildlife sanctuary. To develop this place, there is no need to cut trees. Already there is constructed bridge and road, which are now in damaged and bad condition since past many decades. If the Goa Government develops this place, then it will benefit both the states Karnataka and Goa,” says another villager Uday Gaonkar.
“We have already given a memorandum to the then Chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar to rebuild this bridge and road again. Also we have given a written letter to the Union Minister of Transport Nitin Gadkari to reconstruct the bridge and the road going to Karnataka from our village. Also we called this road a Paroda road. To reach Belgavi from Satrem village is just 50 kms distance. Now we have to travel the long distance to reach Belgavi,” says Laxman Gawas, Satrem village panch member.
If this bridge is done repaired, then the Satrem village, Nagargao Panchayat and Valpoi constituency will get more development. It will create business opportunities to Valpoi constituents especially the unemployed youth,” says Parag Khadilkar, Sarpanch, Nagargao Panchayat.
“Tourists will visit this area in large numbers. There are many historical spots and waterfalls in that area and also in Valpoi constituency. So we demand that our local MLA and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to re construct this Satrem village bridge and road again,” says Premnath Hazare, Zila Member.
