Accident was a result of strong wind, says vessel master
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has been asked by Public Works Department (PWD) to assess the condition of the new Mandovi Bridge pillar, which was hit by the 400-tonne empty barge of V M Salgaocar, moving upstream in river Mandovi, Friday morning.
This is the fourth such incident since 2011, when an iron-loaded barge owned by Sesa Goa had hit pillar no 13 of the Mandovi Bridge in November. In the very same month a cruise boat had hit one of the pillars. Again in 2012, Sesa Goa barge had hit pillar no 9. In none of the above case any major damage was reported.
NIO would be also conducting a videographic inspection of the pillar and submit a report, which would be then be forwarded to the Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways in case any remedial measures are to be taken.
Speaking to Herald, PWD Principal Chief Engineer J S Rego said that the barge brushed against pillar no 13 and the abrasion has been noticed at two levels, on the circular base of the pillar and on the pier above.
“There was no direct impact and outwardly there was no damage to the pier except that its plaster had chipped off,” Rego said. In-order to know the exact damage caused to the pillar, the NIO has been entrusted with the task of assessing the condition of the pillar, he said.
The PWD official said that since the test has to be conducted underground, NIO is the appropriate agency for the work. “No specific deadline has been set to submit the report as it is a lengthy process,” he said.
The barge owned by V M Salgaoncar had anchored mid-stream, east of the new bridge, after the accident. The Captain of Ports (CoP) had initiated an inquiry into the accident and the master of the vessel was summoned for interrogation on Friday.
Captain James Braganza said that the master of the vessel in his reply said that accident resulted due to strong wind current as a result of which the vessel drifted. “The vessel drifted in the wind and brushed against the pillar,” Braganza said adding that a fresh inspection of the barge would be conducted to know the exact reason behind the accident.
