PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that the one-lane of the new Zuari Bridge, which had missed the deadline will now be completed by April 30 next year while, the Goa Velha to Bambolim flyover will be thrown open from December 30 so as to ease traffic congestion.
Sawant said this after inspecting the ongoing work of the signature bridge from Bambolim to Verna and expansion of National Highways along with Chief Secretary Parimal Rai and officials of PWD and the contractor executing the work.
Sawant said the cost of the eight-lane Zuari bridge which was initially estimated at Rs 1,400 crore was likely to escalate upto Rs 1,800 crore due to delay caused by COVID-19 pandemic. The work of the bridge had started in 2016.
The work of the new eight-lane Zuari Bridge linking both the districts is taken in three packages and the work of the package I and III is almost nearing completion.
After the inspection, Sawant tweeted, “Held a site inspection and review of construction work of new Zuari Bridge. The bridge will be one of the most iconic projects in the State and will greatly benefit the commuters.”
The Chief Minister said the government has invited Request For Qualification (RFQ) for construction of 125-metre tall observatory tower and a revolving restaurant at Zuari Bridge and that the foundation stone for the same would be laid by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highway Nitin Gadkari soon. Gadkari is likely to arrive in Goa on January 3.
The government had earlier announced that a four-lane section of the new bridge will be ready for traffic by mid-December, in time to mark the 60th year celebrations of Goa’s Liberation.
