Goemkapronn desk
CANACONA: Questions are being raised whether the Dhawalkhazan bridge in Agonda, in advanced construction stages to replace the erstwhile delipidated Borim-Bridge, will be without sufficient Wing-Walls.
Contractor racing against time to provide pedestrian access onto the Bridge before this month’s end, informed at the site that only one 6 metres long Wing-Wall is being constructed on one side-end of the Bridge in lieu of 3- metres length Wing-Walls on all four ends of both sides of the Bridge.
The reason, as explained by the contractor, is the entire project is ill-designed, and the sanctioned concrete works are already exceeding the approved quantity of the Bridge works even as approach roads on both sides are pending, while works to construct only one wing wall on one end of either side and landfilling for the approach road is taken up.
Agonda river, where the 12-metre long Culvert Box bridge is constructed by demolishing the erstwhile Borim-Bridge (which was basically a footbridge but dangerously used by motorists), has a bank-to-bank width of about 35 metres.
According to sources with the contractor, the Bridge constructed by centrally locating it in the river has a length of 14.60 metres which is more than the estimated and approved length of 12m, but is still insufficient and requires at least a minimum of 8 metres long Wing-Walls to sufficiently construct approach roads.
“Whereas PWD designed/proposed four (4) wing-walls two on either side of the Bridge of only 3-metres of length. As no purpose will be served if just 3 metres long wing-walls are constructed, and considering the exhaustion of concrete works quantum, only one wing-wall of 6 m is taken up for construction.
Besides, as the PWD engineers didn’t notify the Wing-Walls while bridge footings were laid, the same (footings for Wing-Walls) were not laid than, and is now being constructed’, informed a source of the contractor.
PWD has been informed to obtain sanction for the additional costs if the remaining three Wing-Walls are required, without which bridge works will be completed, and the approach road will be without side protections(Wing-Walls) on these three sides’, added the contractor source.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Canacona PWD (Roads) Assistant Engineer Swapnil Naik informed that Wing-Walls, as required, will be constructed on all the four angles of both ends of the Bridge and denied requirements of any additional funds to complete the Bridge.
“See, the works are further delayed due to rains, as of now concreting works on one of the Wing-Walls is underway, Once completed construction of second wing-wall will be taken up and subsequently all the four Wing-Walls as required will be constructed in due course of time. Besides, the landfilling for the approach roads on either side will be taken up once the works on wing walls are completed,” he said.
Moreover, there is neither a need for additional funds nor estimates to complete the Bridge, and we are monitoring the works daily with the sole aim of completing it as soon as possible.
“It is not only pedestrian access, but we are trying to facilitate full access (motorists and residents) once the works are completed,” he said.
Incidentally, the contractor has already taken up the landfilling works on one side of the approach road, where only one wing wall is constructed and even felicitated pedestrians cross over the Bridge.
It may be recalled that the tender works to construct a Box Cell Type 6 metres double-span Culvert and both approach roads at Dhawalkhazan (Agonda) have been allotted to Puthiri Construction, Betim, at the cost of 62.5 Lakhs.
The foundation stone for the same is laid by Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant in the presence of then Dy. Speaker and Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes in the last week of September 2021.
