Chamber of Santarém plans to start works on the Pan Bridge in December

A Câmara de Santarém intends to start in December the requalification works of Ponte da Panela, in an investment close to 697 thousand euros and with a term of execution of 210 days, according to the president of the municipality.

At the last executive meeting, on Monday, João Leite stated that the procedure for hiring the company responsible for the undertaking began on November 5th and runs until the 17th, deadline for the submission of the proposal.

“ Our intention is that, during the beginning of December, the undertaking can begin ", said.

The mayor said that the process necessary for hiring by direct adjustment is underway and sought to reassure the populations of São Vicente do Paúl and Vale de Figueira, directly affected by the closure of the crossing.

“ We are honoring the word we gave to everyone”, said João Leite, ensuring that the municipality will do “everything to get the work started before the end of the year.”.

According to the mayor, the municipality prepared the execution project and previously launched a contest for the realization of the undertaking, but the procedure became deserted.

Despite the timetable presented by the municipality, the Commission of Utentes dos Serviços Públicos do Conselho de Santarém maintains doubts about the beginning of the work in December and considers that there are still few concrete signs of the intervention.

In statements to the agency Lusa, Rui Raposo, of the user committee, accused the mayor of acting “in reaction mode” to the initiatives promoted by the structure and the Utent Movement in Defense of the Pan Bridge.

According to Rui Raposo, the announcement was made at the executive meeting held two days after a meeting with residents at the bridge, during which the effects of the closure were discussed and information on the deadlines of the undertaking was required.

The representative of the users recalled that on 28 September, the population was informed that the work would begin in the last quarter of this year, but stressed that there is still no “yard sign” on site.

“ The reality is that we are a month away, in useful terms, from the end of the year and we still have no work”, he said.

Rui Raposo was also cautious about the possibility of fulfilling all the steps announced, from the end of the hiring procedure to the consignment and the beginning of the work.

“ We know how these things work in public works”, he said, contesting that it is possible to guarantee “absolutely” the fulfillment of the calendar released by the House.

The leader also pointed out that the 210-day implementation deadline now announced is higher than about four months which, he said, had been indicated at a meeting held in September.

Rui Raposo held the municipality responsible for the situation, recalling that the Panela Bridge is a city infrastructure and does not belong to the Infrastructures of Portugal.

“ For years it was realized the progressive degradation of the bridge and nothing was done to resolve the situation ", criticized.

The Movement for the Defense of the Bridge of the Pan and the Commission of Utentes dos Serviços Públicos do Conselho de Santarém launched, in October, a petition to demand the House a timetable for the beginning and completion of the work.

The promoters warned of the damage caused by the closure of the link between Vale de Figueira and São Vicente do Paúl, namely the increase in travel times and fuel costs for residents, companies, agricultural producers and local services.

The Commission of Utentes dos Serviços Públicos do Conselho de Santarém and the Utentes Movement in Defense of the Bridge of the Pan will re-evaluate the situation within a month, to verify whether there has been a concrete evolution of the process.

“ We will be attentive to this development of the situation, very attentive even ", said Rui Raposo.