the goan I network
margao
Even as people of Goa bid adieu to Manohar Parrikar, a host of controversial projects which were kept on hold in Salcete following the former Chief Minister’s intervention, literally hangs in balance, with question being raised in many quarters how the new dispensation will go about in addressing these sensitive
issues.
Be it the double tracking of the South Western railway between Margao and Vasco, the controversial western bypass passing through the flood plains of Benaulim and Seraulim and the education hub at Davorlim just to name a few, were all kept on hold by the Parrikar dispensation after pleas by the ruling MLAs.
Parrikar had personally come down to have an interaction with the people of Benaulim and Seraulim with the locals vehement in their demand for the construction of the western bypass on stilts. In fact, the former Chief Minster had publicly admitted that the people of Seraulim and Benaulim had a point when they demanded the western bypass on stilts to avoid inundation of the low lying riverine areas.
Parrikar’s stand, sources said, was greatly influenced by the leader of the key alliance partner, Vijai Sardesai, who has strongly taken up the demand of the people of Benaulim and Seraulim to build the western bypass on stilts, even though his pleas did not find favour with
Sudin Dhavlikar.
How the new government attends the western bypass issue remains to be seen in Manohar Parrikar’s absence, as the National Highways are still awaiting a green signal from the local government to start work on the three km Seraulim-Benaulim stretch
of the bypass.
The Manohar Parrikar Cabinet had recently given its nod for the land acquisition for the double tracking of the South Western railway up to Margao. The railways, however, have bene repeatedly knocking the doors of the Goa government for the permission to go ahead with the double tracking project on the Margao-Vasco line. Railway authorities in private admit that the double tracking project between Margao-Vasco has not received the green signal from the Goa government as the former Chief Minister was not in favour of the project so as not to antagonise party MLAs, including Alina Saldanha, who had come out openly against the project.
With the demise of the former Chief Minister, it is unclear how the new government will handle the double tracking issue as the railways, sources said, will return back to the government to given the go-ahead signal.
On the education hub proposed at Davorlim, which was aimed at decongesting the commercial capital by shifting the city-based schools to the outskirts, all eyes will be focused on the new government, whether the new dispensation will bulldoze with the ambitious project when it was kept on hold by the Parrikar dispensation after the issue was taken up by the Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai.
Sources in the know said the former Chief Minister had sought time to study and examine the objections raised by the villagers of Davorlim, and it remains to be seen how the new dispensation will handle the issue.
