Parrikar orders closure of old, unused bridges in Goa

Days after three persons died when a foot-bridge collapsed in South Goa, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday ordered the closure and barricading of all old, unused bridges in the state, as well as their safety audit.

"As a measure of public safety, in the first instance and on an urgent basis, all old unused bridges are required to be barricaded... Status report on the measures taken needs to be submitted by May 31 to this office," the Chief Minister's Office said in a tweet on Monday.

Three persons drowned and over 30 had scrambled to safety after the bridge over the Sanvordem river collapsed on Thursday.

The fifty-odd years old bridge was not being used for thoroughfare, but after a crowd gathered on the bridge to watch a suicide rescue attempt, a part of the bridge caved in, causing the accident.

--IANS

mayaahm/vt