PANAJI: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will open the first phase of a new bridge being built across the Zuari river on Thursday evening, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said.

The cable-stayed building is situated on the Zuari River near Cortalim Village on the Margao-Panaji National Highway, some 15 kilometres from the state capital, and is referred to by the government as the nation's widest bridge once it is fully constructed. The bridge is seen to be a crucial connection between North and South Goa.

The first section of the bridge will be officially opened on Thursday evening during a function scheduled at the site, CM Sawant told reporters on Wednesday.

He said the bridge would be opened for traffic from Thursday midnight. The bridge will reduce the travel time between the North Goa and South Goa regions. An outdated bridge over the river, built in the 1980s, has proved unable to handle the rising traffic volume on the national route.

The new bridge is a component of a Rs 2,530 crore project that spans 13.2 kilometres between the villages of Bambolim in North Goa and Verna in South Goa.

Dilip Buildcon Ltd, which is constructing the new Zuari bridge, has mentioned the entire eight-lane project will be completed by April 2023.

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