MARGAO
Nuvem residents along with business premises owners/tenants along the old stretch of NH66 from Fr Agnel Ashram Verna to Carmel College Nuvem on Friday called on the newly-elected South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes with a plea to de-notify the stretch through MoRTH.
A petition submitted to the MP stated that the Western Bypass for the national highway proposed by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and executed by the State Public Works Department is now functional with major traffic plying on this road.
“This bypass was necessitated to avoid the widening of the portion of NH66 from Fr Agnel Ashram Verna Village to Carmel College Nuvem Village,” the petition stated.
The delegation led by Congress leader Everson Valles drew the attention of the MP that on the old stretch of the road which is approximately 2.5 kms in length, there are educational institutions like primary schools, high schools and higher secondary schools as well as professional and undergraduate colleges. “Since there is a proposal for further widening of this road there will be a safety hazard for the students as well as the parents and residents along the stretch to cross the road if it is widened further,” they stated, adding that the road widening will also disrupt the existing electricity cables, telecommunication cables as well as public water pipelines systems.
The delegation pointed out that widening the stretch despite the Western bypass road which is already fully functional will require the demolishing of an additional number of residential and business structures along the route, thereby destroying lives and livelihoods. “Any plan to widen the old stretch will not bring any value addition on the route, as major traffic is already shifted on the new western bypass NH66,” they stated.
While making a plea to the newly-elected MP to take up this matter with MoRTH and impress upon the authorities to denotify the old stretch as a part of NH66, the delegation stated that the correction will bring necessary relief to the residents, commuters and the educational institutions from the constant fear of road widening which leads to destruction and demolitions.
