VALPOI: Over a month after the Paikul bridge over the Ragada river in Sattari taluka was washed away in the unprecedented floods witnessed on July 23, the villages under the Guleli panchayat that had been cut off from the mainland have finally got a temporary footbridge.
The water resources department (WRD) has constructed the footbridge at the Murmune village, which borders the Paikul village, using iron planks.
Assistant engineer of Sattari WRD, Shailesh Pokle told TOI that strong iron planks have been laid on the embankment. “The bridge has been secured with iron pipes on both sides for safety,” he said.
The government has announced that a new bridge will be constructed at the cost of Rs 12.5 crore. Sources said that a tender in this regard will be floated soon as the state cabinet has given its approval.
On August 18, villagers from Melauli, Paikul, Dhada, Shel, Mainguinim and Murmune had threatened to block the highway at Guleli village if reconstruction of the Paikul bridge was not started within 15 days.
After the Paikul bridge was washed away, the government had made a temporary road available through the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, but locals had found it inconvenient as not only was it a long route to the mainland, but also travelling on it at night was not possible.
Sources said that the temporary footbridge was constructed on war footing on the instructions of the chief engineer Pramod Badami. Work was undertaken by assistant engineer Shailesh Pokle, junior engineers Aziz Shah and Pawan Warak, among others.
