Bambolim foot overbridge project fails to take off

Panaji: The state public works department’s (PWD) ambitious, first-of-its-kind project of foot overbridge with lift and escalator at Fulancho Khuris or Holy Cross shrine in Bambolim has failed to take off. It has been almost seven months since the letter of acceptance was handed to the contractor to proceed with the construction, but the PWD has not heard from the contractor since.
Officials said that a final letter has been issued to the contractor, based on which the project could have to be retendered. It would be the third time the project is tendered looking for a contractor.
“Mookambika Constructions won the bid by quoting the lowest amount of around Rs 6 crore. Besides an inbuilt lift and escalator, the total project cost was also to include a maintenance contract for five years for toilets, the lift and the escalator. Maybe the bidder did not take all these costs into consideration. After issuing the letter of acceptance, the company has to respond with acceptance of the tender, but we have not heard from them,” said the official.
The company has to respond with their acceptance of the tender, following which the work order is handed, and the work can commence.
“We have issued one final letter to the contractor seeking their response, based on which the project could be retendered. The contractor was finalised after the work was tendered a second time. The first time did not see any response. Maybe contractors are not finding it feasible at the cost they have bid. The project design has been envisaged as a modern-looking structure, along the lines of similar foot overbridges existing in South East Asian countries like Malaysia,” said the official.
The foot overbridge will be around 2.5m wide and 6m high. It has been designed with inbuilt lift and escalator after similar foot overbridges and subways meant for pedestrians in Goa failed, like the overbridge at Sharada Mandir School, Miramar, and the subway near Padre Conceicao College of Engineering in Verna.
The overbridge was necessitated as with the highway expansion along this stretch, the speed of vehicles at this busy section has increased tremendously, making it dangerous for devotees visiting the shrine. Hundreds of devotees visit the Fulancho Khuris daily and a few fatal accidents involving pedestrians have been reported at the spot in the past.
At Fulancho Khuris, there are many elderly devotees visiting too, and therefore an escalator and an elevator have been made part of the design.