The Zuari River – the largest river in the state of Goa is 92 km long, it is a tidal river which originates at Hemad-Barshem in the Western Ghats and flows in the southern-western direction through the talukas of Tiswadi, Ponda, Mormugao, Salcete, Sanguem and Quepem.
The Zuari also referred to as the Aghanashani has two bridges at Borim & Zuari and four ferry jetties – Rachol to Shiroda, Rassaim to Adpai, Rassaim to Durbhat and Cortalim to Madkai, that people use to travel across its banks.
On 3rd December I set out to cross the four ferries and two bridges. The challenge was not to use the same route twice and my ride started from my home in Borda.
First ferry was at Rachol which took me over to Shiroda, cycling past the Ayurvedic college got me to the start of the Borim bridge. The 431-metre-long bridge is the only link for vehicular traffic between the Ponda and Salcete talukas and was built between 1977 and 1986 at an expense of Rs 303 lakh. It was commissioned in 1986. Crossing over took me to Loutolim on to Rassaim.
The Rassaim jetty on the southern bank of the Zuari river is used by both the Adpai and Durbhat ferries. Crossing to Adpai by a ferry named Tiswadi, I cycled to the Durbhat jetty, a distance of only 1.5kms. You cross North Goa’s MP Shripad Naik’s ancestral home along the way. Back to Rassaim using the ferry, the next stop is the Cortalim jetty. The distance of 9kms takes you past Quelossim and the many shipyards situated on its banks.
The Cortalim to Madkai ferry distance is approx 2.4kms or 1.3 nautical miles and is probably the longest ferry crossing in Goa and takes around 25 minutes to cover. If you ever travel in the evenings on this ferry, watch out for the magnificent view of the setting sun against the back drop of the three bridges – the Konkan railway, the Zuari and the new one been built.
Having crossed all the four ferries there was only one bridge left to cross to complete the challenge. To reach it I had to travel a distance of 33kms via Banastarim to Old Goa and a pray stop at the Basilica – it was the feast of St Fancis Xavier, back via Karmali station, Pilar to the start of the Zuari Bridge at Agassaim.
The Zuari Bridge which was open to traffic in 1983 is 1,225 metres long and connects North Goa and South Goa, between the villages of Agassaim and Cortalim. Having crossed the bridge – CHALLENGE COMPLETED, the 18km ride home via Verna was a breeze. Distance covered 91.55km
Follow my route on Strava www.strava.com/activities
or on Relive www.relive.cc/view