PONDA: While a section locals have been vehemently protesting against land acquisition for constructing new Borim Bridge, there are others who feel want another bridge considering the fact that the existing one has been undergoing repairs for the last several years and feel it is on “life support” now.
Since the last few years, a section of the local population has been demanding a new bridge due to overuse of the existing facility and traffic jams due to the traffic diversion. The new Zuari Bridge has been built to reduce the traffic load, but locals feel that already Borim Bridge is overused due to heavy traffic load in the past.
Last year, the residents panicked after noticing the truss erected below Borim Bridge to support the Bridge. However NHAI officials had said commuters or villagers need not panic as “the truss has been erected to replace the bearings”.
However locals and commuters are concerned and fed up over the frequent repairs of
Borim Bridge.
Locals are worried that in case any untoward incident happens, who will be responsible and how will the government manage the traffic on this route?
The locals say that for the past several years, the Borim Bridge has been overused and overburdened and has been repaired time and time again. At night heavy vehicles ply on the bridge with heavy load, which could prove dangerous and hence the government needs to control the movement of heavy commercial vehicles. Further, many vehicles, including cars, overspeed on the bridge despite the speed limit being only 30 km/hour.
According to villagers, the Borim Bridge has completed its lifespan of 40 years, since it was built in 1986.
Although the government conducts frequent bridge repairs, in case it collapses, there could be a major disaster and cause further hardships to people commuting from South Goa to North Goa, besides hitting the inter-State traffic from Belagavi to Karwar, the villagers feared. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials said repair work has been undertaken to strengthen the bridge so that it remains in working condition.
Local panch member, Sunil Naik said the bridge surface has turned risky due to the potholes that have developed. He said repair work of the bridge road should be done on priority basis as it poses risk to commuters, especially two-wheeler riders.
Vishal Fadte, a concerned resident from Ponda, said, “Considering the overuse by heavy vehicles, there is a need for an alternative bridge. The bridge’s lifespan increased a bit with life support of repair work undertaken every year. But, it’s no longer fit to use anymore and hence, there is the need for a new bridge.”