MARGAO: Warning that the proposed partial closure of Borim Bridge from October 21 would create traffic chaos all over the State, Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress President Pratima Coutinho has demanded that the government notify its plans for the bridge.
Briefing media persons, she said she has been told by Public Works Department engineers that from Monday the Borim bridge will be partially closed to carry out regular maintenance work. “This means, one side of the bridge will be closed, while the other side will be kept open for traffic to flow,” she said.
She said this will be chaotic as presently a lot of people from the South wishing to travel to Panjim go via the Borim Bridge, because of the “terrible congestion at Cortalim where hours are wasted.” “If the Borim Bridge is also going to be partially closed then movement to Panjim from South will be totally paralysed,” she said.
Admitting that the rattling of Borim Bridge when a vehicle plies on it does indicate that it needs attention, she wondered why the government “is giving step motherly treatment” to this bridge. “When the government could spend crores to build a third Mandovi bridge, why could it not spend some money on providing a good bridge at Borim?” she asked.
She pointed out that with examinations starting, students will be adversely affected if the Borim Bridge is partially closed and students may have to leave their houses in the early hours to reach their examination centres.
Besides, she said, the working class will also be badly affected as they have to reach their office in time.
