Panjim: Public Works Minister Nilesh Cabral on Wednesday disclosed that one arm of the new Zuari bridge will be thrown open to motorists by the end of December 2022 after all the safety measures and parameters are adopted and checked. The load testing of the new Zuari bridge has begun on Wednesday, which was inspected by the PWD Minister and officials. Cabral said the new and old Zuari bridges will act as one way for vehicle movement; one lane of the new Zuari bridge will be open for heavy vehicles, which are not permitted on the old bridge.

 

“For opening the one side of the new bridge for commuters, we have decided in principle that light vehicles moving from Panjim to Margão and Vasco will use the old bridge as one way; the one lane of the new Zuari bridge will be kept open for heavy vehicles moving from Panjim to the other side. Also, all vehicles moving from Margão and Vasco towards Panjim will use the three lanes of the new Zuari bridge. We will notify this for checking it on a trial-and-error basis for 15 days and then work out a plan,” he explained.

 

The PWD Minister clarified that the new bridge will be inaugurated only after all safety steps and parameters are adopted and checked. “The contractor Dilip Buildcon Ltd. will give us dates… we will hold on to our promise to throw open the bridge by the end of December 2022. However, the final date will be decided later. We will make a traffic plan, notify traffic movement and adopt safety measures. We can allow vehicle movement after the final load testing is conducted,” he informed.

 

The DBL has arranged 32 trucks of 32 tonnes each for the load testing exercise. These loaded trucks will be on the bridge as per the drawing given by the technical consultant. “These vehicles will be on the new bridge for 24 hours for load testing. Personnel will check load figures 24 hours after a set of trucks are removed. Then the ‘deflection’ can be examined. This exercise will continue for the next five days. This is done for load test on cables spanning across 640 m,” Cabral said.

 

The PWD Minister also said that Artificial Intelligence will be utilised to keep an eye on traffic violations. “We are bringing in a system to have signals on traffic islands. Artificial Intelligence will capture all traffic violations, including seatbelt and helmet wearing and overtaking. The system will also generate automatic challans,” he said.

 

This new system will be tested at the Mercês circle next month, and then it will be implemented on the new Zuari bridge at a later stage. The Minister said that when the entire bridge will be ready by 2024 its both arms will be open for motorists.   The old bridge may be closed thereafter. Cabral said the new Zuari bridge has maintenance period of eight years and four years for approach roads, adding that it be would be maintained by project proponents.