The first phase of Zuari Bridge in Goa will be inaugurated on December 29 and not December 26 due to the unavailability of Union minister Nitin Gadkari on the earlier date, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Thursday.

He had announced December 26 earlier in the day after inspecting the newly-constructed structure along with state PWD minister Nilesh Cabral.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will be inaugurating the first phase of the bridge, located some 15 kilometres from here on the highway connecting North and South Goa districts, at 6pm on December 29, Sawant said.

"Since Gadkari is not available on December 26, we have postponed the commissioning date to December 29. This bridge will be our New Year's gift to the people of the state," the CM told reporters in the evening.

The second phase would also be inaugurated soon, the chief minister added.

The bridge is part of a Rs 2,530 crore project covering a distance of 13.2 kilometres between Bambolim and Verna villages.

-With PTI Input