PANAJI

Nearly 80 Portuguese-era bridges in Goa are in a shaky condition and their repair work would be taken up immediately, a state minister said today. Last year, the government had begun an audit of all the Portuguese-era bridges in the state.

The exercise was taken up after the bridge across Sanvordem river in South Goa district, had collapsed in May last year, killing two people.

“We have identified 80 bridges, most of them small culverts, which are in a dilapidated condition,” Goa Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Sudin Dhavalikar told reporters today. All the bridges identified so far were in North Goa district while the audit was yet to be taken up for such structures located in South Goa, he said. “It will take one more year to complete the audit of all bridges in the state,” Dhavalikar said.

The bridges found to be in a bad condition would either be reconstructed or repaired immediately depending on the requirement, he said.

“We are conducting an audit of all the bridges that are more than 30 years old,” the minister said.