CANACONA
Living in the remote and hilly area of Vavurla in Quepem is a daily struggle, but life for the 250-odd residents will improve to some extent with the foundation stone laid last week to construct the first tarred road from Vavurla in Barcem-Khedem to Chal-Nanem in Gaondongrim.
Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa in the presence of ward panch Datta Velip, Morpila Sarpanch Ashwini Gaonkar, Deputy Sarpanch Prakash Velip inaugurated the work to construct the new road at a cost of about 2 crore.
The new road will help the residents of Vavurla, who live at a height of about 1600 feet above the mean sea level to travel a distance of over 3 kms to reach Nanem, a ward in Gaondongrim village.
Presently, residents have had to walk down a hilly pathway to reach Nanem or the Chali-Indrawada junction and then had to walk another 3-4 kms to proceed to Gaondongrim village.
The other route (pathway) still more dangerous is to reach Quiscon and from there to Khedem-Barcem Panchayat area which is next to NH66 road.
Vavurla is a remote hamlet which has been cut off from other habitations and is surrounded by thick jungle. Its residents had been demanding a proper motorable road for several years.
Dhillon Dessai, a PWD contractor who incidentally is also Sarpanch of Gaondongrim, has bagged the contract to construct the road along this challenging stretch.
Dessai, who was present at the inaugural function, has assured complete the road ahead of the time limit of 365 days. The work includes improvement and tarring of road by providing and laying a 300 mm soiling and a 50 mm full grout and other allied works.
In his address, D’Costa praised Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and former PWD minister Nilesh Cabral for their support in approving funds and clearing the road project from Vavurla to Chall-Nanem junction.
“People of this village have been used during elections for several years. They have village struggled and suffered a lot. I ensure that this road is completed soon,” said the MLA.
