MAPUSA
An acrimonious exchange broke out in the Goa Legislative Assembly on Monday over a demand for a bypass on stilts along NH-66 at Dhandevaddo, Chinchinim. The Opposition urged the government to reconsider the ongoing work, but the government made it clear that the National Highway project would not be stopped.
Opposition demand
Congress MLA Altone D’Costa raised the issue during Zero Hour, drawing an unusually large number of Opposition MLAs into the discussion, despite such interventions generally being confined to the member who raises the issue.
AAP MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai and Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao joined D’Costa in demanding that the government consider villagers’ proposal to construct the bypass on stilts.
Work will continue
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said PWD Minister Digambar Kamat would review the matter but categorically ruled out stopping the ongoing work.
“The work will not stop,” Sawant said, while assuring the Opposition that Kamat would look into the legislators’ concerns.
The assurance failed to satisfy the Opposition, with the issue briefly turning confrontational as MLAs rushed towards the well of the House, demanding that the government listen to the grievances of residents affected by the project.
Residents’ concerns
D’Costa said people were increasingly concerned about road-widening projects being undertaken without adequately addressing the interests of affected
residents.
He said Chinchinim residents had been demanding that the Dhandevaddo bypass be constructed on stilts instead of along the existing alignment. He also pointed out that the local communidade had issued a no-objection certificate for the proposal.
Project near completion
Kamat said the matter had been under discussion for several years and that the National Highway project had obtained the required clearances.
He said the work had reached its final stage, indicating that changing the project at this stage would not be straightforward.
The Opposition, however, argued that residents’ concerns could not be ignored simply because the project was nearing completion.
Political row
The exchange sharpened after Sawant accused the Opposition of attempting to derive political mileage from the issue ahead of the Assembly elections.
He pointed out that the elections were scheduled for February, not December, apparently questioning the timing of the demand.
D’Costa rejected the charge, saying there was no political motive and that the concerns were genuine grievances of local residents.
Seek solution
Viegas urged the government to explore a solution, arguing that the State could still intervene and address the concerns of affected
residents.
