BASURI DESAI
The one-way bridge at Ribandar Patto junction is on the verge of collapsing and needs the urgent attention of the authorities.
The bridge was constructed more than three decades back and it connects Ribandar and rest areas to the state’s capital. The entire traffic, including heavy vehicles from Ponda to Panjim, was diverted from the same route when the Panjim-Old Goa bypass was under construction.
For almost a year there was a heavy traffic from this particular route and the bridge which needs to be crossed if you are travelling to Panjim from Old Goa has now developed major cracks. It is quite visible even from top side.
When Herald inspected the two pillars it was noticed that these are on the verge of collapsing. The bridge may come down either with the strong water current or if any overloaded heavy vehicle passes over it. The traffic, which leaves from Panjim to Old Goa, uses the new bridge which was constructed few years back but this particular bridge which is right at the junction at Patto in Ribandar was neglected by the authorities despite several complaints by the concerned citizens.
“We have informed the Public Works Department on many occasions about the deteriorating condition of this particular bridge but nothing has been done so far in reality,” informed Naresh Salgaonkar, a local.
Locals are in apprehension that the bridge may collapse at any time which will cause a heavy traffic jams at the Patto Ribandar junction as the traffic needs to be diverted from other bridge which is parallel to this.
“PWD should take cognizance and immediately repair this bridge to avoid any untoward incident,” said Joel D’Souza, a local.
However, Principal Chief Engineer of PWD Uttam Parsekar told Herald that the department had strengthened the same bridge by installing steel beams but they will propose to construct a bridge only after the bypass road is completed.
He said that there is no proposal for the construction of the said bridge with the department right now.
