Mapusa: Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira said that work on the restoration of the Calvim bridge has been taken up for the first time after its inauguration at a cost of ₹59 lakh and assured that several other developmental works in Aldona, including the maintenance of Corjuem bridge, will be taken up in the course of time.
Ferreira also stressed the need for regular maintenance of government structures, including bridges, to avoid large repair work in one go.
Row over Calvim bridge maintenance work
“What has not happened in the last 10 years is happening now. From the time the Calvim bridge was built, there was no maintenance carried out on it. There should be regular maintenance of government-built structures or it leads to accumulation of work which has to be taken up at one go,” Ferreira said. “The steelwork of the bridge is corroded and the colour of the bridge has also faded. Even the approach roads need repairs,” he added.
The Carona-Calvim bridge was constructed in October 2013 at a cost of ₹61 crore by the then BJP-led government under late CM Manohar Parrikar. Besides the locals from Corona and Calvim, people from other places like Mayem, Bicholim and Pomburpa also use the bridge.
Maintenace work to be carried out in Phase 1
Continuing, Ferreira said that in the first part, the maintenance of the bridge and its approach roads will be carried out and in the next phase the work on electrification will be taken up. “More works are in the pipeline. We are in a position to move forward in developmental works. Following this the Corjuem bridge work will also be taken up,” he said.
The Aldona MLA expressed his gratitude towards Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for sanctioning the work. “I thank the CM as the tender was through and the work order was issued. I also thank Nilesh Cabral, even though he is not the PWD minister now. He had cleared the file during his tenure. I was constantly following up every week with him to ensure the work was cleared. I also thank the principal chief engineer for his proactiveness,” Ferreira said.
