MLA refutes claim, says bridge was strengthened

MARGAO: Cuncolim MLA Rajan Naik has refuted the claims that the Balli Bridge is on the verge of collapse and called such claims as “silly”. “As the equipment for the DefExpo will pass on this bridge, the engineer got the bridge strengthened. Some excavation was done for cementing and strengthening. Three trucks of concrete were used as we are planning to keep the old bridge. The cracks that are now being discussed are not cracks, but concrete that was used to strengthen the bridge,” said Naik, adding that the new bridge would be ready in some months. The Fatorpa Sarpanch Sanzil D’Costa has also claimed that there was no threat to the bridge as it had been strengthened recently. He said, “In the morning, six large trolley trucks passed across the bridge. There is a deliberate attempt to create problems in the DefExpo organization when the bridge is in a healthy condition.”