BASURI DESAI
The new Neuginagar Mala-Patto Plaza bridge over Rua De Ourem Creek, which was thrown open to public recently, has brought relief to residents of Mala, Bhatlem and other surrounding areas. However, the basic infrastructure at the junction is still not completed thus preventing a smooth flow of traffic.
North Goa Collector has issued a temporary notification to open a bridge for two-way vehicular movement only for a month to check whether it can handled traffic from both sides on a single lane bridge.
The notification said that the only light motor vehicles and two wheelers are allowed from the bridge while heavy vehicles are not.
Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) which has built this bridge, was not able to complete the other lane of bridge due to the existing water pipeline. However, the said pipeline has been removed and GSIDC has said that work of other lane will also commence soon.
Panjim Traffic Police is of the opinion that the two-way traffic on a bridge before necessary infrastructure is complete, will create congestion on the main road during peak hours.
Brendon D’Souza, In Charge of Panjim Traffic Cell has said that he has proposed a traffic island at the junction to increase the width of approach road to the bridge. He said that there is also need of speed breakers on either side of the main road to control the fast moving traffic at the junction of bridge.
“I have proposed the infrastructure in view of controlling the traffic at the peak hours. We will submit our report to the concerned authorities after a month of survey”, D’Souza said.
The 103-metre-long bridge also serves as a second entry point for the Panjim city that helps to reduce distance by over one kilometre. An officer said that the bridge was thrown open for two-way traffic on the demands of local residents of Mala.
The bridge was inaugurated by the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on his birthday on Dec 13, 2017.
A local resident Tanvi Chodankar said that “the bridge over the creek was a must for the village to cut the distance to reach the bus stand but authorities should now only take care of avoiding any accident at the junction.”
“Right now it is opened for two way traffic, at least speed breakers should be installed on either side to control the speed of the vehicles”, she said.
The bridge has benefitted the students and teachers of People’s High School, Mary Immaculate Girls High School, Lok Chetna Primary School, commuters from Altinho, Bhatlem, Mala and Fontainhas. The bridge is also a boon for residents of the government quarters and for the people who have office establishments in the same area.
Patrick Dias, another resident of Mala, said that the heavy vehicles are also using the bridge to cut the distance in the morning as well as in the night.
“There is every possibility of a fatal accident if the heavy vehicles continue using the bridge. The bridge is built and throw open for two-way traffic in good faith but authorities should keep a strict vigil and penalise the traffic violators”, Dias said.
