MARGAO
With the agitation in support of the Western bypass on stilts gaining momentum in Benaulim, all eyes are focused on Chief Minister Pramod Sawant “ whether the government would bulldoze with the construction of the controversial 2.75 km stretch of the bypass along the low-lying flood plains of Benaulim-Seraulim villages sans stilts.
All eyes are focused on Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao, whether the NCP MLA will get the government to concede to the demands of the villagers and build the bypass on stilts or stick to his stand that desilting of the river Sal is a viable solution to prevent flooding during monsoons.
Inquiries by The Goan have revealed that Sunday’s candlelight procession and prayers held by the Benaulim villagers have come at a time when the file seeking sanction for the new contractor and the tender is lying with the government. So far, the government has not given the sanction for the Rs 148 crore cost quoted by the new contractor to take up work on the 2.75 km stretch of the bypass between Benaulim and Seraulim.
While the PWD, National Highways, had floated the tender at an estimated cost of around Rs 142 crore, the contractor has quoted a figure of Rs 148 crore to take up and complete the 2.75 km bypass work.
A senior PWD, NH official, told The Goan that the work order will be issued to the contractor once the government clears all decks and accord the necessary sanctions.
Sources further said that the PWD will be anxious to take up the work immediately as the contractor would get only 5-6 months to start land filing before the onset of monsoons.
Given the mood of Benaulim villagers on Sunday and the fact that support has been pouring for the villagers from adjoining villages as well, questions are raised whether the government will adopt a confrontation stand and bulldoze its way with the bypass without stilts.
So far, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao has not reacted how he intends to handle his known opponents who have all come together under one banner to demand the construction of the bypass on stilts, only saying he would soon lay bare all details of the project before the people.
While Churchill had been supportive of the popular demand to build the bypass on stilts, he has been consistent in his stand that the government should first desilt the river Sal to prevent flooding before any work on the bypass could begin.
The 11-km western bypass from Verna to Dramapur was mooted by the PWD, NH, to decongest Margao and the adjoining villages. While work on the Verna-Nuvem stretch is completed till the Margao wholesale fish market at Seraulim and work on the Navelim-Telaulim stretch is in full swing, work on the 2.75 km Benaulim-Seraulim stretch was kept on hold since the villagers had been demanding construction on stilts.
Only the stretch of the bypass passing through the Salpem lake in Navelim is being built on stilts.
