[misquitas]

Hi,

Am not sure if this is the appropriate place to post this message, but I thought it would be of interest to other members on this forum who may be planning to drive between Goa and Karnataka via Karwar.

The following report appeared in the newspaper that I work for, here in Goa.

Regards,
Melvyn
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HERALD CORRESPONDENT (DEC 10)

The Kali Bridge in neighbouring Karwar along the highway that links Goa with the southern states in the country will be closed from January 5 till February 4 for vehicular traffic, except for two-wheelers and pedestrians.
A notification was issued by the National Highway division of Karwar on December 10 to various agencies and the press.
With the closure of the Kali Bridge, four-wheelers will have to take a detour from Sadashivgad-Kadra-Shirwad, an additional distance of 60 kms, to reach Karwar.
The diversion is even longer for heavy vehicles, with the detour along the Margao-Ponda-Baleguli-Haliyal-Ramnagar-Anmod route, an additional distance of over 180 kms to reach Karwar.
According to Officer of the National Highways Umesh Bhat, the Kali bridge was built in 1983 and tests by experts from Bangalore on the bridge revealed that the Central Hinge Bearings are over 25 years old and are in need if replacement.
“This work will be undertaken by a firm from Mumbai at an estimated cost of Rs 1.7 crores. Besides replacing the worn out bearings, other renovation work on the bridge will also be carried out,” Bhat told Herald.
It is learnt that PWD officials from Karwar had approached the River Navigation Department (RND) at Panjim for barges, but the deal ended when the RND was willing to provide barges on a one-year period on contract basis, which was not feasible for the agency entrusted with the work.
Prior to the commissioning of the bridge in 1983 there was ferry service, but that was eventually stopped. It is learnt that restarting of ferry services would be laborious and expensive as the river has to be de-silted and a wharf would need to be reconstructed as the old wharf has been in disuse since the past two decades.
The closure of the bridge will result in heavy losses to state-owned busses from Goa and Karnataka, traders of various goods of the southern states with Goa and commuters from Goa and Karnataka.
Business at the two petrol pumps as well as at bar and restaurants located at the border will also be severely affected for a month.

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