Team Herald
PONDA: Expressing concerns over the plying of heavy vehicles from Ponda to Belgaum along the Portuguese-era Khandepar Bridge, the locals fear that the bridge may weaken and prove risky to life and property.
They demanded that the process to construct approach road be expedited to reduce the traffic burden on the old bridge.
They complained that despite the inauguration of the new four-lane bridge two years ago, it is used only for one-way traffic coming from Belgaum to Ponda. The locals claimed that heavy vehicles commute to Belgaum along the old bridge, beyond its carriage capacity.
Sandeep Parkar, a local said, “The old bridge carriage capacity is 16 tonnes. It was built considering the vehicle carriage capacity during the Portuguese era. However, now, the vehicle carriage capacity has increased several tonnes. As a result container trucks with a carriage capacity of 20-30 tonnes are plying at a time along this old bridge to proceed from Ponda to Belgaum. The locals fear that the old bridge may turn weak which could prove risky to life and property. We cannot rely on old bridge and the approach road for new four-lane bridge should be constructed soon so that the new bridge can be used for two-way traffic.”
Parkar said, “The process to construct approach road needs to be expedited which will reduce the traffic burden on the old bridge.”
It may be recalled that the new bridge was hurriedly inaugurated two years ago without constructing an approach road for the traffic coming from Belgaum towards Ponda. The approach road matter is sub judice. With PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar recently stating that the matter has been resolved, a fresh tender for approach road needs approval from NH authorities.
