TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO: Work on former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao’s dream Assolna-Cavelossim bridge drags on with PWD officials maintaining the work will not be complete before the onset of monsoons.
This means people from both sides of river Sal will have to continue using the ferry service between Assolna-Cavelossim till such time.
If PWD Executive Engineer, Div VI, V S Mardolkar, is to be believed work on the bridge is now expected to be complete during the monsoon, around July end, to be precise. “Work is nearing completion. Right now around 70-75 per cent of work on the bridge is complete. The balance work is expected to be completed during the monsoon,” Mardolkar said.
Replying to a question, he said that major work on the bridge, including the columns stands complete and only the final work of laying the super structures and approach roads remains to be completed.
“The contractor has given a time scheduled wherein he has promised to complete the work in another 3-4 months. Hopefully, the bridge will be ready by July,” he said.
He replied in the negative when asked whether the project cost has shot up on account of the delay in completing the project. “The contractor will complete the project as per the work order issued by the PWD,” he added.
This bridge, linking the coastal tourist village of Cavelossim-Mobor to the villages of Assolna-Ambelim and Velim was expected to be complete around February 2012, before the government gave extension of time for the contractor to complete the project.
The Assolna-Cavelossim bridge was one of the three dream bridges mooted by the former PWD Minister after taking over the PWD reigns. Foundation stone for the 620-meter-long 20-span bridge was laid in 2009, while the 30-month deadline given to Ms M Venkata Rao Infra Project ended in February last year.
Of the three bridges, the Telaulim-Varca bridge has been thrown open to the public, while the fate of the Sinquetim-Benaulim bridge hangs in balance with the government stopping all work on the project following objections from the local populace and the MLAs of Navelim and Benaulim.
