Relief for Umroli village in Panvel as new bridge to start before monsoon

Residents of Umroli village do not need to put their lives at risk while coming out of their village during the monsoon as the only bridge over the Gadi river to connect the village with Panvel is almost ready. The construction of the bridge has been completed and the work on the approach road is going on.

Last year, a couple had washed away while crossing the old bridge which was low in height and did not have railings.

The work on around 150 meters-long bridge connecting Panvel and Umroli village was started last year after a young couple riding on a bike was washed away by the strong currents of the Gadi river while crossing the bridge. Though the construction of a new bridge was approved, work could not be started due to monsoon. The old bridge was around five decades old.

The People Works Department (PWD) is carrying out the work. According to an official from PWD, the work of the bridge will be completed before the monsoon arrives. “The work would have been completed, if the lockdown was not imposed,” said the official. He added that the bridge will be constructed at Rs 1.45 crore.

Umroli village is located around 10 km away from Panvel and it has around 1000 population. The bridge is the only means to connect with Panvel. During monsoon, the old bridge was low in height and did not have railings used to submerged after heavy rain. The bridge was hardly 10 feet wide.

Panvel MLA Prashant Thakur followed the matter with the PWD and ensured that the construction of the bridge was completed before the monsoon. He said that residents of Umroli village were living in fear of cutting off from Panvel. “Parents were worried about their school-going children as the old bridge was submerged in water in hardly three-four hours rain,” said Thakur. He added that villagers have been demanding a new bridge for a long time and now, this monsoon they will get it.