the goan I network
PANAJI
Responding to PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar’s statement on Monday that the closure of a portion of the road on the Panjim-Margao highway was “absolutely necessary”, the Mahila Congress on Wednesday refused to accept this as the only solution to constructing the Zuari bridge, and said there was no way the 20 kilometer diversion was the only alternative.
Mahila Congress President Adv Pratima Coutinho also alleged that Dhavalikar’s main aim was to benefit builder Dilip Buildcon Limited.
Questioning who the national political partner of Dilip Buildcon Ltd was, Coutinho said that the “development” in Goa was not about Goa anymore. “They’re trying to achieve a dream project. But they can’t do it at the cost of Goans,” she said, while pointing out that it was the women who would be the most affected by the diversion.
“Women play a dual role, at home and going to work. At what time would women from Margao working in Panjim have to wake up and leave the house in order to get to work?” asked Coutinho.
Coutinho, who was addressing a press conference alongside Mahila Congress vice president Beena Naik and other Mahila Congress members also asked the PWD Minister to travel the route by bus, before deciding upon the diversion.
Naming those who would be affected by the diversion, like students, Coutinho asked the government to think about patients who needed to be taken to GMC.
The Mahila Congress have asked the government to rethink their decision, taking into consideration all the hardships that the people will have to face if the road is closed and the only alternative is a 20 km diversion.
