PANAJI: Aiming at making Goa's highways green, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) for developing 261-km stretch of main roads in the State as green highways.
Goa is the first state to be adopted for development under the Green Highways Policy.
Speaking to media persons, GSIDC Chairman Deepak Prabhu Pauskar said, "The scheme aims at making Goa's highways green with fruit and flower bearing trees. An amount of Rs 64.37 crore has been sanctioned under the scheme. Once these trees are planted, the contractor will have to maintain them for a period of five years."
Adding more information to the subject, GSIDC Vice-Chairman Sidharth Kuncalienker informed that under the scheme native varieties of trees would be planted along the highways.
"To reduce pollution on highways across the country, the Centre unveiled the Green Highways Policy. GSIDC has been appointed as the implementing agency. The model that we adopt in Goa, will be replicated across the country. So we have got an opportunity to set an example for the entire country on how the green highways should be," said Kuncalienker who also informed that a public consultation would be held on the trees to be taken up for plantation.
"The trees to be taken up for plantation would be native varieties and not exotic," he said.
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FORMAL AGREEMENT
* Goa is the first state to be adopted for development under the Green Highways Policy
* An amount of Rs 64.37 crore has been sanctioned under the scheme
* Once the trees are planted, the contractor will have to maintain them for a period of five years
* The trees to be taken up for plantation would be native varieties and not exotic
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GREEN HIGHWAY STRETCHES
Length (in kms) Project Cost (in cr)
NH 17: Patradevi to Pollem check post 133 32.65
NH 44: Galgibag to Pollem Road 15 3.37
NH 17B: Farmagudi Circle to Varnapuri Gate 20 5.64
NH 4A: Panaji to Mollem 43 11.49
NH 44: Dhargal to Usgao Road 50 11.21
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THIRD MANDOVI
BRIDGE BY APRIL
PANAJI: Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) Vice-Chairman Sidharth Kuncalienker on Friday said that the third Mandovi Bridge is expected to be complete by March-April 2018.
"We take the review of the project once in two weeks. We have started the work on the bridge even on Merces side. The case in NGT delayed the work on the bridge. We are making up for it", he said.
