MARGAO
Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro on Wednesday launched a road under pass project on the Western bypass at Coldem-Telaulim, exuding confidence that the bypass passing through the Salpem lake will be built on stilts, leaving questions whether his Fatorda and Benaulim counterparts, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai and Churchill Alemao, respectively, will receive similar treatment from the BJP over their demands for construction of the bypass on stilts passing through their constituencies.
After Fr Myron Barretto blessed the road under pass project in the presence of Telaulim Sarpanch Estevan Goes and others at Coldem, a beaming Faleiro said he has not only managed to get the road under pass at Coldem, but added that the bypass will be built on stilts along the Salpem lake, Navelim.
He further said that all the four families, who will be displaced by the Western bypass project, will get new houses along the route in the village, saying he has fulfilled the promises made to the people. “The Union Ministry for Surface Transport has already given the in-principle approval for the bypass on stilts along the Salpem lake. Some NGOs and activists had said that Faleiro is quiet, but I am not. Faleiro is not against development. At the same time, I have managed to get what the people wanted at Salpem lake and at Coldem,” he said.
A group of villagers led by panch Melsa Cardozo called for the construction of the under pass with a height of 4.5 metres, fearing that the proposed 3.5 meter high under pass would not allow a fire tender to pass.
Bypass project head, Rizvi Ansari, however, said the bypass has a provision for service road on both sides, further assuring that the road under pass will have a footpath as well. He, however, could not provide details on the estimated cost of the project, saying the cost will be adjusted in the project cost.
While Faleiro thanked CM Manohar Parrikar for meeting his demands for a bypass on stilts and the underpass, the project head told the people that they are fortunate enough to get these additional benefits which could not be granted to other constituencies.
The project head said all efforts will be made to build the under pass before monsoons.
While the Navelim MLA seemed to have got what he had asked from the government, all eyes are now focused on the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai and Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao, both of whom had demanded stilts along the 3.5 km stretch passing through the flood plains of River Sal from Seraulim to Benaulim.
While the duo had insisted on the bypass on stilts, Parrikar, who had inspected the route had favoured construction of additional small bridges for drainage of rain water, besides desilting of the river Sal to take care of flooding.
The PWD has since come out with a new plan, proposing additional bridges along the route, but the proposal is yet to receive a nod from the TCP Minister as well as from the Benaulim MLA, besides the villagers of Mungul, Seraulim and Benaulim. Till date the promised power point presentation for the benefit of the beleaguered villagers is yet to take place.
That the TCP Minister has not given up his demand for the bypass on stilts became evident a week back when he had disclosed plans to take up the issue with Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari during his visit to the national capital.
