the goan I network
MARGAO
Even as Benaulim and Seraulim villagers left not a single stone unturned to demand the bypass on stilts, government officials maintained that the bypass on stilts on the problematic 2.75 km Benaulim-Seraulim stretch will cost the exchequer a whopping Rs 555 crore, while the bypass can be put in place with investment of only Rs 155 crore through land filing and additional culverts.
Officials in the know say the Centre has point blank refused to sanction the additional Rs 400 crore to build the bypass on stilts, while raising questions whether the Goa government can afford to make available the whopping amount from its kitty.
PWD officials pointed out that construction of the bypass without stilts along the 2.75 km Benaulim-Seraulim stretch is estimated to cost around Rs 155 crore. A perusal of one of the High Court orders revealed that the State Government has decided, in principle, to accept the compromise formula suggested in the joint meeting convened between the State and Union Government.
According to this formula, out of the total cost of Rs 166 crores, for the 2.75 km Benaulim-Seraulim stretch, around Rs 126 crores shall be shared by the state government and around Rs 40 crores shall be paid by the central government. It was agreed by the Centre and the state government that the scope of the work and detailed design for it would be finalised by the state government. This arrangement between the Centre and the state government would be similar to the arrangement adopted for the new Mandovi bridge, according to which the State shall request the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to reimburse the costs of Rs.126 crores, initially to be borne by the State, as the work is being done of a National Highway. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Union of India has already affirmed this arrangement by filing an affidavit in the High Court (Affidavit of Shri Anshumali Srivastava, Chief Engineer, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways dated 15.5.2019).
Said PWD, NH Executive Engineer, Laxmikant Naik: “The state government will soon float a tender to take up work on the bypass between Seraulim and Benaulim. The cost amounting to Rs 155 crore includes land filling, additional culverts and road underpasses along the route.”
