*SLAB COLLAPSE AT NEW PORVORIM BRIDGE: A SYMPTOM OF ROTTEN GOVERNANCE AND CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE*Amarnath Panjikar

Porvorim, Goa — In a shocking and utterly disgraceful incident, a slab span of the under-construction new Porvorim bridge has collapsed during the fixing process, exposing not only the criminal negligence of the contractor but also the total failure of the concerned government authorities, including the PWD and supervising engineers.This is not a minor error — it is a disaster-in-the-making. The bridge, which is being constructed over one of Goa’s busiest stretches, carries thousands of vehicles daily. It is a vital connection and any compromise in its construction quality is an open threat to public safety.Who is responsible for this life-threatening lapse?Why was there no strict quality control, third-party inspection, or structural audit during such a critical phase of construction?The Goa BJP government must answer: • Will anyone be held accountable for this failure? • Has any safety audit been done post-collapse? • Is this bridge even safe for public use once completed? • Will the government ensure the safety of commuters, or wait until lives are lost questioned Amarnath Panjikar.This incident is not just an embarrassment — it is a wake-up call. If construction collapses during fixing, what confidence can the public have in the finished product? The bridge is being built with public money, but what we see instead is public risk stated Amarnath Panjikar.We demand: 1. Immediate Action on Contractor. 2. A high-level independent inquiry into the incident, with the report made public. 3. Criminal action against those whose negligence endangered lives. 4. Public assurance with third-party audit reports before the bridge is allowed to proceed or open.The people of Goa deserve safe infrastructure — not experiments in incompetence. If this is not stopped now, blood will be on the hands of those in power.The time for empty statements is over. Action must be swift, transparent, and firm said GPCC Media Chairman Amarnath Panjikar.