When Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar visited Paroda in July 2013, he had assured the locals that a new bridge will be built within seven months. Three years have gone by and there is no sign of any bridge. The villagers of Paroda go through the same old problems, especially in the monsoons.
History has it that eight hours of continuous rain will put some places and roads in Paroda under water. The effect is felt more on the bridge with the waters of the Kushwati River flowing over the bridge.
According to Sarpanch of Avedem-Cottombi Alleluia Afonso, the chief minister during his visit not only assured a new bridge but promised a double lane bridge over the Kushavati River connecting Avedem and Paroda within seven months. “This is a regular feature; if the rain pours continuously for more than eight hours it not only paralyses the movement of people, particularly students going to local schools by crossing the bridge, but also stops the vehicular traffic as they opt for an alternate route via Chandor to reach Curchorem and Quepem causing several hardships to passengers,” said Afonso.
Explaining further, he said that Division XXV of PWD had estimated the project and it was decided to construct the bridge at s new site under Disaster Management plan. However, due to flooding and landslides that took place few years back at Canacona, the finance was diverted to rehabilitate the people who were affected by them. Then the proposal for the new bridge got stuck with some government department and no progress has been made till date, Afonso quipped.
“Since I have taken charge recently I will verify the exact position of the project,” informed Quepem Assistant Engineer Digamber Kulkarni. But it is learnt that the proposal was sent at least eight years back to the Margao PWD Division XXV for administrative approval but nothing has been materialised.
When contacted, Flaviano Miranda, Executive Engineer (Roads) at Margao PWD office, said that there is no proposal received by his office to revise any plan for a bridge at Paroda.
Local MLA Chandrakant Babu Kavalekar informed that four years ago he had brought an approval from the PWD Minister directing to inspect the site and prepare an estimate for the new bridge but after that nothing has come from PWD nor from GSIDC. “Anyway I will raise the issue before the government in current assembly session on Wednesday,” assured Kavalekar.
Locals, including the headmaster and teachers of the local church school, expressed concern and fear for the students as some students have to cross the bridge to reach the school. “For a very long time the government has wasted time only on assurances. It is high time the government acts as the issue of flooding in Paroda continues for so many years now,” said a local resident.
