Waste of public money on the Telaulim-Varca bridge that cries out loud for urgent maintenance!
(PHOTOS BY GARY AZAVEDO)
(Photo captions: Wild shrubs and grass growing on the pavements of the approach road to the Telaulim-Varca bridge making it difficult for pedestrians to walk.
Dangling wires of the street lights on the Telaulim-Varca bridge pose a danger to unsuspecting pedestrians.
Broken missing bulbs of the fancy decorative street lights of the Telaulim-Varca bridge.
A missing railing that is now also rusting of the Telaulim-Varca bridge.
Garbage especially liquor bottle cartons and clothes lying strewn on the pavements of the approach road to the Telaulim-Varca bridge making it difficult for pedestrians to walk.
Loose pavers of the pavements of the approach road to the Telaulim-Varca bridge making it difficult for pedestrians to walk.)
GARY AZAVEDO
NAVELIM: The 74-metres long Telaulim-Varca bridge is presently in a terrible state as there’s been hardly any maintenance undertaken by the concerned authorities. This bridge was inaugurated a decade ago on February 25, 2011 by the then Chief Minister Digambar Kamat in the presence of the then Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao and the then PWD Minister and then Navelim Congress MLA Churchill Alemao. It was built by the PWD at a cost of over Rs 11 crores as part of Churchill’s dream project of constructing three bridges over the River Sal along with the 620-metres long Assolna-Cavelossim bridge constructed at a cost of Rs 55 crores whereas the Navelim-Sinquetim bridge is still pending completion.
Since it’s inauguration on February 25, 2011, there have been several complaints from the local residents and motorists regarding the poor street light illumination over the bridge, approach roads and surrounding areas despite the fancy decorative twin arm street light poles with missing bulbs and the dangling wires of the street light poles posing a danger to the unsuspecting public and making it a safe haven for anti-social elements who taking advantage of the darkness indulge in their various nefarious activities.
“The projects done hastily without scientific approach always have ended like this. Big fancy lights but no maintenance,” quipped former AAP Navelim candidate and social activist Siddharth Karapurkar.
Ironically, this problem has been highlighted several times by the media. Moreover, there are plenty of wild shrubs and grass growing on the pavements of the approach road to the Telaulim-Varca bridge, besides the loose pavers of the pavements making it difficult for pedestrians to walk on it forcing them to walk on the busy road endangering their lives with motorists zooming by. The scary possibility of snakes and other poisonous reptiles lurking in the bushes and amongst the heaps of garbage such as liquor bottles and cartons, old discarded clothes, etc. lying strewn on the footpaths of the Telaulim-Varca bridge approach roads. Another danger posed to the public is the missing railing of this bridge that is also rusting due to utter lack of maintenance by the concerned authorities with crores of public funds being squandered.
A civil engineer Jessie Pinto pointed out that “It is obvious that there has been zero maintenance of this 74-metres long Telaulim-Varca bridge ever since it was constructed in 2011 as the side railings are very badly corroded and if someone leans onto it, there is a possibility that the person could fall over. Besides, the footpaths or pavements have not been properly constructed as the pavers are slipping into the fields below. On the approach road to this bridge, the railings have already corroded and collapsed. There should have been a side wall so as to protect the pavers of the footpath along the road to the bridge from slipping and thus, in turn protect the pavements.”
“Also, a lot of grass has grown all over the footpaths making it difficult for pedestrians like senior citizens and children to walk on it forcing them to use the road endangering their lives with speeding motorists zooming by. There’s a lot of garbage including plastic bags, liquor bottles and cartons, old clothes, etc. strewn all over the place on the approach roads to this bridge. The concerned authorities such as local panchayat, etc. should install CCTV cameras to nab the culprits and habitual violators. Most of the street lights are non-functional making it an easy haven for anti-social elements to prey on unsuspecting travellers and indulge in various nefarious activities taking advantage of the darkness,” said Pinto recalling a chain snatching incident occurring in this vicinity.
“The Telaulim-Varca bridge road needs urgent attention as the street lights are not functioning and bushes have grown and it’s difficult for pedestrians to walk. The crores of rupees spent for the bridge is crying for attention and it looks like it was constructed for only wanting 30 per cent commission when it was constructed . I urge the Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro to put his immediate attention on it and get it cleared and I also request the Benaulim NCP MLA Churchill Alemao who was and still is supporting the ruling BJP government in Goa as the bridge was constructed during his tenure as Navelim MLA. Since the Navelim MLA Faleiro was missing last four and half years in Navelim and he has no time to come to Navelim as there is too much traffic to come from Margao and with hardly five months to go, I really urge him to at least do the needful as it’s his duty,” said the Aam Admi Party (AAP) vice president Adv Pratima Betsy Coutinho.
When contacted, Telaulim sarpanch Steven Goes disclosed, “Although the GSIDC is responsible for the maintenance of the Telaulim-Varca bridge, the village panchayat is looking after it. The overgrown grass will be cut by either the first or second week of October as the monsoon season is still in progress. This grass is cut only once annually as we have limited funds for this purpose. Also, it is not true that all the street lights are not working but only a few of them. However, the maintenance of these street lights is undertaken by the electricity department.”
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