MARGAO
Even as Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira has asserted that the government is weighing various options to resolve the new Borim bridge land acquisition tangle, the PWD, National Highway has asserted that alternative No. 7 is the best suitable and technically viable alignment and has called for dismissal of the objections lodged by the Loutolim villagers as the project is of State as well as National importance.
In a letter to the Special Land Acquisition Officer, PWD (Cell), PWD-NH Executive Engineer has maintained that environmental clearance is not applicable for this project as the length of this project is less than 100.00 km & width of the ROW is not more than 60.00 mnt, adding that even no forest land is involved in the project.
“The selected alignment is passing through orchard, paddy fields and minor areas in settlement zone. The selected alignment is passing through Village Panchayat Bandora, Quela, Borim and Loutolim. There is only one survey number where Khazan land is involved having survey No. 395 of village Loutolim, which is hardly 1.41% of the total area to be acquired,” the PWD-NH Executive Engineer has said, adding that the alignment selected is the best suitable since there is minimum displacement of the habitants and maximum reduction in the length of the highway.
The PWD has further submitted that to construct the new bridge at any location across river Zuari there is no other way than to pass over paddy as well as Khazan land and in the present selected alignment there is minimum disturbance to Khazan land.
“There is a proposal of construction of bridge for a length of 300.00 mts & viaduct on Ponda side for a length of 275 mts & viaduct on Loutolim side for a length of 330 mts & because of which there is minimum disturbance to the natural cover as well as topography and there will not be any interference of water movement needed for survival of paddy crops as well as Agro Pisciculture, neither there will be any risk of flooding,” the PWD stated.
Saying the stretch of the National Highway between Farmagudi to Loutolim is the main link road to North Goa and South Goa districts, besides catering to the traffic of MPT & Dabolim International Airport, the PWD has said “considering the narrow width of the existing road, the weak condition of the Borim Bridge, the frequent traffic jams & the ribbon development along the existing NH, Ministry had appointed a consultant Technogem Mumbai to study the feasibility and to prepare the DPR for construction of new bridge across river Zuari including bypass to the Borim village. There were seven alternatives studied by the consultant and based on the feasibility study had recommended 3 alternatives viz-1, 3 & 7. After due deliberation with the State Government, MoRTH New Delhi has approved alternative No. 7 (seven) being the best suitable alignment,” the PWD added.
