PANJIM: The Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP), on Tuesday, finally shut the access to the foot overbridge near Sharada Mandir School at Miramar.
The bridge built on public private partnership (PPP) model is presently in precarious condition posing a safety hazard to school students and commuters. The CCP has already asked Goa Engineering College (GEC) to carry out a safety audit of the bridge.
In a reminder letter written to GEC Principal, CCP Commissioner Clen Madeira has said, “You are once again requested to conduct the site inspection of foot over bridge near Miramar junction and carry out the structural stability audit of the bridge and submit a report to this office within seven days from the date of the receipt of the letter.”
Meanwhile, opposition Congress said that another project of failed Viksit Bharat Model of BJP stood.
A party spokesperson accused the BJP Government of misusing the public funds with an eye on commissions and demanded that the Disaster Management Authority immediately act and take preventive measures either by dismantling the entire foot over bridge or taking concrete steps to ensure safety and security of commuters and school children.
The footbridge was constructed at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore by a Hyderabad-based private contractor on public private partnership (PPP) model in 2012. The private contractor entered into an agreement with the CCP and the foot over bridge was thrown open to the public on July 16, 2012. However, it turned into a white elephant as it was rarely used by the students of the Sharada Mandir or other people.
