PANAJI: Two professors from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai, have been appointed as consultants and are visiting the existing
Zuari bridge every month to monitor its condition closely. The bridge is entirely safe for use, minister for public works department Ramkrishna
Dhavalikar said on Monday. Dhavalikar also called state Congress president Girish Chodankar “ignorant”, reacting to allegations made by Chodankar that the government was hiding facts about the safety of the existing Zuari bridge.
“Zuari bridge is very safe. Two professors from IIT visit the bridge for inspection every month,” the minister said.
Dhavalikar said that earlier the Mandovi bridge had collapsed because the Congress government in power then had failed to carry out regular maintenance works, as was being carried out meticulously with the Zuari bridge at present.
“The Mandovi bridge collapsed during the Congress regime. The Zuari bridge opened for use in 1983. It lasted for 35 years because we have carried out constant maintenance work since it was learnt that the bridge has deficiencies. But the Mandovi bridge collapsed because there was no necessary maintenance being carried out by the then Congress government,” Dhavalikar said.
The minister said that under the Bharatmala project sanctioned in Goa, it is mandatory for the state to inform the ministry of road transport and highways about the condition of the bridge and take permission for inspections from the consultants.
He said that Chodankar was attempting to spread panic among Goans making false claims about the existing Zuari bridge.
“Cantilever technology is a technology which is outdated in India since 15 years now. Yet, the then Congress government did nothing to start work on a new bridge. Many Congress MLAs are still asking questions in the assembly about ‘plan’ and ‘non-plan’ works, when now the works are under the heads of ‘capital’ and ‘revenue’,” he said.
Ramkrishna Dhavalikar (File photo)
