Chinchinim locals hit street to oppose plans for NH flyover, make own moves for bypass

Residents of Chinchinim hit the streets at the St Sebastian junction to demand a road bypass on the NH66 at Dandeavaddo.

MARGAO
Beleaguered residents of Dandeavaddo in Chinchinim village on Monday hit the streets to make a fervent plea to "the double-engine BJP government" to build a road bypass instead of an elevated corridor on the NH66 passing through the village.

After the Union Ministry of Road and Surface Transport rejected the demand of Chinchinim villagers for a road bypass, with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari finalising a flyover at Dandeavaddo during the weekend, the residents made a fresh appeal to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the PWD portfolio, to consider their decade-old demand for a road bypass instead of a flyover.

In fact, the residents now plan to knock on the doors of the local Comunidade body to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the acquisition of land for the proposed road bypass.

While saying that the government has made a big claim of spending Rs 747 crore on the Navelim-Cuncolim highway expansion, they questioned what the use of the money spent on the highway project is when the views of local residents are not taken into account.

Manisha Angle told the media that she had seen how the PWD had gone about acquiring the land for the highway expansion since her marriage 30 years ago. “The existing highway has nearly touched our houses. We fear for our lives when a speeding heavy-duty vehicle crashes into our residential houses. And the proposed flyover along the existing highway will affect our children in the long run,” she said.

She demanded to know whether these flyovers and bridges are meant for people heading to the Mopa airport, questioning why the government is not taking the sentiments of local people into account before planning a project.

“During his visit to Chinchinim, the Chief Minister had promised to intervene and provide the Communidade body with the NOC. We would approach the local body for the NOC. Hope, the government will listen to the will of the people,” Manisha said.

Another resident, M Dias, said that former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar and former Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues had promised to consider the views of the people of Dandeavaddo before finalising the National Highway alignment.

“We hope CM Sawant will meet our demand,” he said, while demanding a road bypass instead of a flyover. Amay Pai Angle said the local residents of Dandeavaddo had proposed an alternative alignment by way of a road bypass to the government, but in vain.

“When we approached officials of the Union Ministry, they say the recommendation for a road bypass should come from Goa PWD. We fail to understand why the PWD is not supporting our demand for a road bypass,” Angle wondered.

Chinchinim Sarpanch Frank Viegas said the Panchayat has extended full support to the residents of Dandeavaddo demanding a road bypass. “Everyone is supporting the construction of a road bypass at Dandeavaddo, right from the South Goa MP, MLA, ZP Member, Panchayat, and the locals, but still, the government is trying to bulldoze its way with the flyover,” he said. Frank said the 42-metre setback on both sides of the road would freeze the development of the people. “The flyover is meant for the corporates. Our government should take care of the local populace,” he demanded.