MARGAO
Ahead of the four-laning of the Navelim-Cuncolim stretch of the National Highway 66, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, New Delhi has set in motion the process for the acquisition of land admeasuring 8,846 square metres along the stretch.
The office of the Special Land Acquisition Officer on Wednesday published a notice in the local newspapers to acquire the land in question for the widening/four-laning and maintenance, management and operation of the NH-66 on the stretch from Navelim (end of Western bypass) to Uskini bandh, Cuncolim.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in his budget speech had announced that the government would take up the four-laning of the Navelim-Cuncolim stretch of the national highway at a cost of over Rs 300 crore. The ambitious project, however, has not kicked off as yet with Sawant making a plea to the Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari during his recent visit to Goa to commence the four-laning of the Navelim-Cuncolim stretch of the highway.
PWD, NH officials in the know told The Goan that leave alone the construction of the four-laning of the stretch, the two agencies had not even floated a tender to take up the project.
The officials, however, pointed out that the government has set in motion the process for the four-laning of the stretch with the Special Land Acquisition Officer starting the land acquisition proceedings to acquire additional land for the project.
