No two and three-wheelers on third Mandovi bridge

PANAJI: The third Mandovi bridge will be completed and handed over to the state government on January 17, a Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation official (GSIDC) said on Friday, adding that the traffic plan has finalised and submitted to PWD.

“The PWD will have to ratify it,” the official said. Work on the bridge picked up speed after chief minister Manohar Parrikar visited the site mid-December 2018, he said, adding that most of the works have been completed, including partial painting, and the rest of the work will be completed within a short span.

Two and three-wheeler vehicles will not be allowed on the third Mandovi bridge. The speed limit for the bridge will be 50kmph. Presently, speed limit on both the older Mandovi bridges is 30kmph.

‘Other two bridges will be one-ways’

Pedestrians will also not be permitted on the new bridge, which is likely to be commissioned shortly.

Currently, the official said, they are gearing up to conduct a final load test using 42 trucks — 21 on each way.

Once opened to public, about 66% of the traffic will use the new bridge, resulting in less stress on the two older bridges, which will be turned into one ways, the official said. Among the older bridges, the newer one will serve as entry to the city while the oldest will serve as exit.

“The day the third bridge is commissioned, the other two bridges will be converted into one ways,” he said. There will be enough signages to guide the traffic.

Their biggest success, the official said, would be overcoming traffic conflicts at the circles at Pundalik nagar, Merces, Malim jetty and KTC.

The Ponda ramp linked to Merces circle is yet to be completed and the official said this would be ready in March.