Goa: Phase I Of New Zuari Bridge Road Opens For Public

Aiming to ease the traffic woes of Goa, phase 1 of the New Zuari Bridge in Goa was opened on Friday (30 December).

Located on the Zuari river at Cortalim village on Margao-Panaji National Highway, the bridge was inaugurated by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Under the first Phase, the 4-Lane Right Hand Side Corridor of the 8-Lane Stayed Cable bridge has been inaugurated.

The Rs 2,530 crore project consists of the new bridge and the approaches from Bambolim to Verna and has a total project length of 13.20 km.

The recent pace of construction of this project is also testament to the new technology that the MoRTH is using to build bridges across the country, observed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

He informed that the Goa-Mumbai Highway will also be completed in the next seven to eight months.

The Minister stated that both the union and state governments are determined to see the planned revolving restaurant on the New Zuari Bridge become a reality. He stated that being in a beautiful state that attracts tourists from all over the world, it is only fitting that such a bridge have this additional first of its kind feature.

He added that the centre is committed to seeing radical improvements in the quality of road infrastructure in the country. Gadkari also informed that by 2024, the quality of roads in the country will be at par with the very best in the world.

Union Minister of State for Tourism and Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shripad Naik stated that the New Zuari Bridge will go a long way towards addressing the traffic woes of ordinary Goans.

Noting that the New Zuari Bridge will have a first of its kind revolving restaurant, the Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant remarked that the bridge will be a tourist attraction on its own.

The event also witnessed the launch of a Mobile Application for Integrated Operations Management of the Public Works Department. The Application aims to integrate many operations, starting with acting as a portal for registering complaints on potholes.

Among other eminent dignitaries present on the occasion were Goa Public Works Department Minister Nilesh Cabral, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Vinay Tendulkar, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) Fransisco Sardinha.