MARGAO
Though the Eastern bypass was opened for traffic over a decade ago, it was neither notified as a national highway, state highway or a major district road till date. The Eastern bypass starts at Nuvem village and ends at Rawanfond bridge and officials say that the bypass can join the main road at Navelim.
Indications that the Eastern bypass may offer a solution to the bar owners were given by TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai when the media drew his attention to the criticism that those who swear by Goem, Goemkar and Goemkarponn have not come to the rescue of the beleaguered bar and
liquor owners for over a month now.
“It’s not true that we have done nothing to save the bar and liquor outlets. We have been working out a solution wherein the Eastern bypass can be notified as the new NH-17. Those who speak that we have not come to the rescue of the bar owners may be agents of some political parties. The real bar owners are with us,” he said, while pointing out that a delegation of bar owners from Fatorda had called on him in the district Collectorate, South on Thursday with their grievances.
Sardesai pointed out that he has discussed with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on the question of notifying the Eastern bypass as the new NH-17 after denotifying the existing highway passing through the heart of the town. “The Chief Minister is open to the idea and the government will soon call PWD officials to demarcate the Eastern bypass so that it can be notified as the NH-17 at the earliest,” he said, while exuding confidence that notifying the Eastern bypass will help save around 1,000 bar and liquor outlets from the commercial capital.
Incidentally, while the TCP minister has suggested to notify the Eastern bypass as a solution to the problems facing the bar owners, senior PWD-NH had recommended that the government declare the Western bypass
under construction as the new NH-17.
