This surprising assurance was delivered in the Assembly today. The CM said that the third Mandovi Bridge would be completed within 18 months while also ensuring that inconvenience to commuters on the national highway – owing to construction work – will be minimized. “The work is on a war footing and our target is to complete it by March next year though there can be a delay of one or two months. So far, 28 percent of the work on land and 20 percent of work in the water is complete,” he said replying to a starred question raised by BJP legislator Vishnu Surya Wagh on
Thursday.
However there was no mention of the fact that environmentalists have raised serious questions over the manner in which environmental norms were bypassed to clear the construction of the bridge. Significantly the National Green Tribunal has accepted the petition of Goa Foundation and is hearing it. It remains to be seen on what basis the CM has given this deadline.
While placing his supplementary question thereafter, the St Andre legislator pointed out that riders/drivers have been enduring inconvenience as a result of the construction work. Parsekar requested that people bear with the situation to get better facilities in the coming days but was quick to assure that congestion on this route will soon be minimized.
“The third bridge is for the betterment of the future as traffic chaos at Porvorim and Merces junctions and KTC circle will be significantly reduced with the diversion. Our records show that 90,000 vehicles ply on this route daily… For now, people will have to bear with the hardship but we are working towards lessening the problem by expediting the work,” he said. With Rs 150 crores out of the total estimate paid to the contractor; Parsekar, also the Finance minister said the government is taking a stock of the ongoing work on a regular basis and coordinating with the related-authorities to ensure completion of the four and a half half km long bridge within the time-frame.
“The (800 mtrs long) cable stayed bridge over Mandovi River will have only one huge pillar in the water. The work is given to a reputed company,” the minister said replying to another question by the Leader of the Opposition Pratapsingh Rane.
