If a holiday in Goa is a fixture on your calendar, you will have noticed that the state has changed a fair bit in the last few years. There is a new airport to fly into, new bridges replacing the old, not to mention the wider highways. The latest upgrade to the state's road network is the Porvorim Elevated Corridor, targeting a major bottleneck on NH66. We were given an exclusive opportunity to experience it for ourselves before the official inauguration on Sep 9, and we brought along a very ‘Goa’ car for the occasion – the MG Cyberster.
First, a bit of quick history and geography. National Highway 66 is a 1,640km arterial highway running from Panvel in Maharashtra to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. 124km of NH66 is in Goa and, for years, Porvorim has been its most notorious bottleneck. The new 5.15km Porvorim Elevated Corridor lets traffic sail clean over all that congestion below, connecting directly to the Atal Setu bridge that crosses the Mandovi River. It promises to cut travel time between Mapusa in the north and the capital Panaji by up to 30 minutes – a claim we set out to test.
Our starting point was the north end of the corridor, a couple of kilometres away from Guirim village near Mapusa. We started our stopwatch on the concrete ramp leading up the PEC – one we would only stop once we crossed over the Atal Setu Bridge and entered Panaji. And even with 510hp and 725Nm on tap and the road all to ourselves, we would be sticking to the 65kph speed limit.
From the concrete on-ramp, it's only a few metres until you drive onto the actual viaduct section, which is paved tarmac broken up only by expansion joints. It is not completely straight either – the north end has some lovely sweeping curves. In a car like the Cyberster, it is quite tempting to push through the bends but, exercising restraint, we instead indulged in the joys of open-top motoring. The Cyberster drops its top in 10 seconds at speeds up to 50kph, giving us superb views all around. Importantly, it also raises the top just as quickly, which comes in handy during sudden showers.
From the driver’s seat, the panoramic view of Porvorim's greenery was quite stunning – something you would never notice stuck in traffic below. Drive on, and the road becomes arrow-straight, and you start to notice how close some of the buildings are to the corridor. This proximity to adjoining structures, along with the fact that NH66 had to stay operational below, were among the biggest challenges the engineers faced.
The 4.19km viaduct section is supported by 87 pillars. Each span running between two pillars requires between 13 and 17 individual pre-cast concrete sections. These sections are about 24 metres wide and weigh a whopping 120 tonnes each. They were cast in a yard down the road, trucked to the site, hoisted 11 metres high and installed in place – all in a narrow space between buildings with absolutely no room for error, while ensuring minimal traffic disruptions below.
Considering the challenges, it is quite remarkable that the Porvorim Elevated Corridor was completed in just two years and five months. Below the main structure, 10.30 kilometres of service roads and 28 minor junctions keep local traffic moving, while the corridor sails above it all. Also featured are eight box culverts and a rainwater harvesting system, so the monsoon doesn’t slow traffic down. A modern lighting setup with 515 streetlights has already been installed, while two high-mast lights and ten overhead gantries with cameras are to be put up soon. All constructed at a cost of Rs 641.46 crore.
Before long, we were passing the Mall de Goa – close enough to see the expressions on the faces of people in the food court, as they watched the bright red Cyberster whizz past their window. As we made our way down the off-ramp, the stopwatch showed that it had been just over four and a half minutes. Heading towards the Atal Setu, we merged with the dozens coming from the diversion and became part of regular traffic.
And just like that, we were climbing the Atal Setu bridge, which would take us across the Mandovi River and into Panaji. To the right, stunning views of Panaji city and Miramar beach in the distance, and to the left, Old Goa with its historic churches, while above me, through the open roof of the Cyberster, panoramic views of the bridge's iconic pylons and yellow cable stays.
Coming down the Atal Setu into Panaji, our stopwatch read just under 10 minutes. Even if you factor in a couple of extra minutes for traffic once the PEC opens, it equates to a real-world saving of about 30 minutes in peak hours, which is quite significant. In fact, the PEC is said to have a capacity of 70,000 PCU, or passenger car units, per day, so traffic flow is expected to be quite swift. Simultaneously, it will reduce the burden on the service and other connecting roads below the corridor, improving flow for local traffic too.
The Porvorim Elevated Corridor, along with other recent infra projects such as the Atal Setu, the New Zuari Bridge and the widening of NH66, is expected to boost the economy by improving intra-state connectivity to Goa’s industrial hubs, as well as flow between the airports and ports. It should also make commutes easier for residents and change the way tourists experience Goa – less time spent travelling, more time to explore the beaches, the culture and everything Goa has to offer.
In conversation with Sandip Prabhu Chodnekar, Principal Chief Engineer, Goa Public Works Department (PWD)
On the challenges faced during construction
This bridge is about 24 metres wide, but the right of way is only 25 metres. Constructing such a wide structure when both sides are already fully developed was very challenging. One of the biggest challenges was lifting the segments. Each segment is nearly 24 metres wide and weighs around 120 tonnes. We could not divert the traffic, so we had to carry out most of the work at night. During the daytime, we stopped heavy traffic so that the segments could be lifted safely and normal traffic could resume quickly.
On other highlights of the project
We tried to harvest the rainwater to recharge the groundwater and increase the water table. There is a median between the service roads below, where we are also planting trees. The corridor's rainwater harvesting system collects the water and directs it into this median. From there, the water flows into pits that we have dug and filled with aggregates and strainers, allowing the rainwater to percolate into the ground. This helps harvest the rainwater and increase the water table on the plateau during the monsoon.
On traffic and usage
Below the corridor, things will be quite different. Once around 50,000 PCUs of traffic are taken off the existing four-lane road, there could be a tendency for people to park on these lanes. So, we will have to manage parking as well. We have streamlined the junctions and completely reworked the at-grade traffic flow. Motorcycles are also allowed on the Porvorim Elevated Corridor.
In conversation with Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister, Goa
On the importance of the project
The Porvorim Elevated Corridor is actually important not only for Goa but also for Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala. Porvorim had become a problem because it is a congested and newly developed city, with development on both sides of the road. Even after the road was widened, it was very difficult to manage, and it had become an accident-prone zone. That is why the Porvorim flyover was required, to ensure smooth traffic on NH-66.
On the project's wider connectivity benefits
With the opening of Manohar International Airport in North Goa, there was a need to improve connectivity towards South Goa. People arriving at Manohar International Airport and travelling towards South Goa were facing a lot of congestion. Now, that congestion will be reduced and this will definitely help tourism and vehicle movement in the state.
Furthermore, there will be better connectivity between the airports and ports, which will have a positive economic impact. It is also a very important project for the people of Goa. Especially those travelling between North Goa and the capital; they will save time and money, and their daily commute will become much easier.
On Goa's future infrastructure plans
Almost all the projects on the National Highway network in Goa have been completed. One of the remaining projects is the Borim Bridge, which will connect the Ponda side. The tendering process for it will happen in the next few days.
We are planning to improve connectivity across rural Goa, from one end of Maharashtra towards Karnataka. We are considering a ring road for Goa, because traffic currently comes into the interior areas and cities. In the future, we want traffic to be able to move around the interior villages and across the state without having to enter the cities.
Uday Singh
Glenn Noronha
Dipan Sur
Dhruv Dhaka
Aditya Panicker
