3rd Mandovi bridge strives to keep up with 3rd deadline

PANAJI: With the construction of the third Mandovi bridge running just over a month behind schedule, the target of May 2018 appears to be too close for comfort for Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC). To ensure the bridge meets its deadlinethe third one nowcontractor L&T is taking steps to ensure it opens up for traffic by the onset of the monsoon.
GSIDC officials have also begun to draw out plans to beautify the area below the bridge spans. According to officials, parking space and gardens are on the cards.

With the below-deck substructure complete for the river portion of the bridge and with major concrete work on the pylons standing in the riverbed nearly done, the cable-stayed portion of the bridge is expected to be ready by February, GSIDC vice-chairman Sidharth Kuncalienker, said.

"There is a month's delay in the construction, but we are catching up. There was a slight delay on the Panaji side, but we have installed an additional crane to speed up work," Kuncalienker said.

According to GSIDC sources, around 72% of the construction of the bridge has been completed and work to install the segments and span on the south side has just begun. Work on the Panaji side will be complete by the first week of April, which indicates that the April 2018 deadline given during the monsoon assembly session is unlikely to be met.

"Piling near the Kadamba bus stand is left, otherwise all the piles have been cast. We may require to divert traffic in January when the segments are being set near Kadamba circle," Kuncalienker said.