PANAJI: In the wake of the Portuguese-era Sanvordem footbridge collapsing claiming two lives, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday instructed the Public Works Department (PWD) to immediately barricade and block the access to all old unused bridges in the state. He has also asked the PWD to submit the status report by May 31.
“As a measure of public safety, in the first instance and on urgent basis, all old unused bridges are required to be barricaded and access needs to be blocked with appropriate measures,” Parrikar said in a note moved to the PWD.
“Thereafter all such old bridges, whether in use or not, shall be inspected for stability and safety and such audit reports shall be submitted to this office by June 30 along with measures for rehabilitation,” the Chief Minister has said.
It may be noted that there is no central data available with the PWD on weak bridges and culverts which are mostly at risk of damage during manmade or natural disasters.