Centre shoots down State’s plan for parallel highway to NH-66

MAPUSA
The State government’s proposal to build a 300-km ring road parallel to the existing National Highway 66 (NH-66) has been shot down by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, which flagged “unsuitable alignment” and urged the State to first complete widening the existing highway.

The proposal, submitted by the State Public Works Department (PWD), sought to create a 4/6-lane ring road-cum-bypass to ease congestion on NH-66.

The planned route would connect Sanquelim, Valpoi, Collem, Sanvordem, Quepem and Sanguem, eventually linking back to NH-66 at Canacona, with additional spurs to key locations.

However, MoRTH officials flagged multiple issues.

Project Director (PMU-Goa) Vishal Pandey pointed out that NH-66 currently spans 124 km in Goa, of which 45 km is still only two-lane and yet to be upgraded to four lanes.

“As such, a bypass proposal at this stage without the development of the main corridor may not be agreed,” Pandey noted.

The ministry also objected to the disproportionate scale of the plan, highlighting that the proposed bypass length – 300 km – was more than twice the length of the existing highway.

“The alignment proposed by the State PWD connects various locations through spurs from the bypass, which requires significant modification,” Pandey said.

According to officials, the matter was discussed at a review meeting chaired by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, where it was suggested that the State modify the alignment or drop the proposal for now.

The State government had sought centre’s go-ahead for consultancy services to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the bypass, with former PWD (NH) Chief Engineer Allan Pereira justifying the extended length based on the existing road network and tentative alignment.

Pereira had recommended the project be accepted and tendered on priority, arguing it would provide a crucial alternate route to decongest NH-66, especially along stretches from Karaswada to Mollem via Usgao and through Sanvordem–Quepem–Sanguem.

With the Centre’s rejection, the State will now have to revisit its plans and rework the alignment before resubmitting any fresh proposal.