MARGAO
Virtually ruling out the possibility of building the controversial Western bypass passing the flood plains of river Sal on stilts, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday has only promised to build small concrete bridges at every 200 meters along the 3.5-km flood prone low-lying areas of Mungul and Khareband to facilitate flow of water and prevent flooding.
Inspecting the flood prone areas of Mungul in Fatorda constituency, Tolleaband in neighbouring Benaulim, apart from Colden in Navelim constitue
Virtually ruling out the possibility of building the controversial Western bypass passing the flood plains of river Sal on stilts, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday has only promised to build small concrete bridges at every 200 meters along the 3.5-km flood prone low-lying areas of Mungul and Khareband to facilitate flow of water and prevent flooding.
Inspecting the flood prone areas of Mungul in Fatorda constituency, Tolleaband in neighbouring Benaulim, apart from Colden in Navelim constitue
ncy accompanied by TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai and MLAs Churchill Alemao and Luizinho Faleiro on Wednesday evening, the Chief Minister sought to allay apprehensions of the people on flooding, saying small bridges all along the stretch will take care of inundation of the low-lying areas during the monsoon.
When the media specifically questioned whether the government will meet the demand of the TCP Minister as well as the MLAs of Benaulim and Navelim for the bypass on stilts, Parrikar shot back "What they mean by stilts is that they want free passage of water in the catchment areas. That will be provided. Leave the structural and design part to us. As long as there's free passage of water, whether the structure is on stilts or by way of small bridges, it does not make a difference."
He added: "We will work out the design. What the MLAs want is enough
passage under the road for the flow of water. Road should not become a barrier for flowing water."
To a specific query whether the bypass will be constructed on stilts, Parrikar again shot back "one need not go for stilts or piling. But one can build small bridges along the stretch with concrete walls of six and eight meters length and put a slab over it to ensure free passage of water".
To another query, the Chief Minster pointed out that the design of the small bridges will be worked out simultaneously with the ongoing work, even as Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao requested the CM to make the designs public before commencing the work.
The Chief Minister interacted with the residents of Mungul, who expressed fears of large-scale flooding of the low-lying areas in the event the bypass is not constructed on silts. He sought to assure the Mungul Chaplain Fr Alcantrao Rodrigues and former MMC Chairperson Gonzaco Rebello that the question of mud filing will not arise when mini-concrete bridges will be built along the route, every 200 meters. Gonzaco, however, said that the low-lying areas have been experiencing flooding since their childhood even without filling of land, while fearing inundation of Mungul if the area is filled up to make way for the bypass.
The TCP Minister drew attention of the Chief Minister to the fact that Mungul had witnessed a number of drowning deaths in the past during monsoons, while sharing the apprehensions raised by the people.
The CM later descended on Tolleaband-Benaulim wherein Churchill demanded that the National Highways Authority build the entire stretch from the Margao-Varca road to the river sal at Navelim on stilts. Parrikar later headed to Telaulim village along with Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro, who had demanded an underpass at Coldem.
When the media specifically questioned whether the government will meet the demand of the TCP Minister as well as the MLAs of Benaulim and Navelim for the bypass on stilts, Parrikar shot back "What they mean by stilts is that they want free passage of water in the catchment areas. That will be provided. Leave the structural and design part to us. As long as there's free passage of water, whether the structure is on stilts or by way of small bridges, it does not make a difference."
He added: "We will work out the design. What the MLAs want is enough
passage under the road for the flow of water. Road should not become a barrier for flowing water."
To a specific query whether the bypass will be constructed on stilts, Parrikar again shot back "one need not go for stilts or piling. But one can build small bridges along the stretch with concrete walls of six and eight meters length and put a slab over it to ensure free passage of water".
To another query, the Chief Minster pointed out that the design of the small bridges will be worked out simultaneously with the ongoing work, even as Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao requested the CM to make the designs public before commencing the work.
The Chief Minister interacted with the residents of Mungul, who expressed fears of large-scale flooding of the low-lying areas in the event the bypass is not constructed on silts. He sought to assure the Mungul Chaplain Fr Alcantrao Rodrigues and former MMC Chairperson Gonzaco Rebello that the question of mud filing will not arise when mini-concrete bridges will be built along the route, every 200 meters. Gonzaco, however, said that the low-lying areas have been experiencing flooding since their childhood even without filling of land, while fearing inundation of Mungul if the area is filled up to make way for the bypass.
The TCP Minister drew attention of the Chief Minister to the fact that Mungul had witnessed a number of drowning deaths in the past during monsoons, while sharing the apprehensions raised by the people.
The CM later descended on Tolleaband-Benaulim wherein Churchill demanded that the National Highways Authority build the entire stretch from the Margao-Varca road to the river sal at Navelim on stilts. Parrikar later headed to Telaulim village along with Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro, who had demanded an underpass at Coldem.
