SANGUEM: Municipal Councillor Meshu D’Costa has urged the Public Works Department (PWD) to immediately install permanent barricades at the entry point to the Taripanto Bridge, following a tragic accident last August that wiped out a family of three people.
Recalling the accident on August 1 of the previous year, D’Costa pointed out that the absence of barricades at the bridge's entry point led to a car plunging into the river. The driver lost control on the slope, resulting in the instant death of a couple and their minor son. The incident caused shock in the community, prompting authorities to promise the installation of permanent barricades. However, these assurances have yet to materialise.
A month ago, after the issue was highlighted by O Heraldo, the PWD temporarily addressed the situation by placing a handmade barricade made of tape with wooden sticks at the entry point. D’Costa has now called for the installation of permanent barricades, emphasising that the entry point is located on a slope with a sharp turn, which obstructs the clear view of oncoming vehicles and poses a significant safety risk.
In response to D’Costa's concerns, Assistant Engineer Nitin Mayekar from the PWD Office in Sanguem has assured the temporary installation of barricades for the time being. However, D’Costa has warned that if the authorities fail to install permanent barricades within the next ten days, he will take matters into his own hands and arrange for their installation.