Panaji, Dec 29 (PTI) Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will on Thursday evening inaugurate the first phase of a new bridge constructed on the Zuari river in Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said.

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The cable-stayed structure, termed by the government to be the country's widest bridge once fully completed, is located on the Zuari river at Cortalim village on Margao-Panaji National Highway, about 15 km from the state capital.

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The bridge is considered as an important link between North and South Goa.

CM Sawant told reporters on Wednesday that Union minister Gadkari will inaugurate the first phase of the bridge during a function scheduled at the site on Thursday evening.

He said the bridge would be opened for traffic from Thursday midnight.

The bridge will reduce the travel time between North Goa and South Goa districts, he said.

An old bridge on the river, which was constructed in 1980s, has not been able to withstand the increasing traffic load on the national highway.

The new bridge is part of a Rs 2,530 crore project covering a distance of 13.2 kilometres between Bambolim (North Goa) and Verna (South Goa) villages.

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

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)