PANAJI
Union Minister for Road Transport and Shipping on Thursday laid the foundation stone for widening of a stretch of the National Highway from Patradevi in Goa’s north to Bambolim to four lanes.
The foundation stone laying ceremony was attended by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, MP Narendra Sawaikar, as well as a host of ministers and legislators who represent constituencies along the alignment, including Mauvin Godinho who had a special place on the dais despite not even being an MLA. The total cost of the project is expected to cost more than Rs 2,237 crore.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar who spoke on the occasion said that Goa is blessed to have all its projects funded by the central government after the Narendra Modi-led Central government came to power listing out the projects, including the six-lane Zuari bridge, Margao’s western bypass from Verna to Dramapur, the Chaudi bypass which includes two bridges, the Dhavali bypass and the Khandepar bridge, besides also the missing link of NH17 B from Verna to Loutolim and the connecting stretch from airport road to Mormugao Port Trust.
“This is a historic moment for Goa. It is because Narendra Modi is a unique Prime Minister who was a chief minister of a state before, that he knows and understands the needs of the State,” Parsekar said.
According to plans unveiled on Thursday, the project includes nine vehicular underpases at Naibag, Pernem, Dhargal, Colvale central jail, Durgawadi, Patradevi and Torxem. Besides this, there will be four flyovers at the Mopa junction, Binani factory in Colvale, Carrasvaddo, Peddem, and hotel Green Park as well as an elevated corridor in Porvorim.
The project is divided into two packages, the first from Patradevi to Carrasvaddo and the second from Carrasvaddo to Bambolim where the elevated road to Zuari bridge is being built which will extend till Verna.
Tenders for two other packages from Verna to Goa’s border are also expected to be floated soon, Gadkari announced.
The Union Minister also said that the development of the National Highway 17, which runs from Panvel to Edapally in Kerala, is part of the development of the Mumbai-Goa road which is notorious for being one of the deadliest roads in the country owing to the high number of fatalities.
Across the two States, Rs 17,000 crore will be invested into constructing this road, Gadkari said.
He said that with the help of the State governments, the roads could have world-class amenities including tourism facilities, hotels, motels, as well as helipads to help in quick rescue operations in case of accidents and the like.
“Tourism along with coastal belt will get a huge boost with this infrastructure,” Gadkari said.
He also promised that the Central government will fund a 300-crore eight kilometre road from Mopa airport to the main highway, something that was earlier to be funded by the winning bidder but is now the government’s responsibility.
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Cong govt indulged in scams: Parrikar
PANAJI: Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar admitted that the four-laning plan that the current Goa government is executing is similar to the one the previous Digambar Kamat had tried to implement “when they were in the opposition” but that this time they had taken care to ensure that the alignment affects only a few houses as possible.
“They were running a scam under the name of Detailed Project Reports. For the Santa Monica jetty and parking, the DPR was done but not even the drawings were in place. Here the alignment was shown on top of people’s houses, and their business establishments,” Parrikar said.
Gadkari too seconded him saying that their effort has been not to displace anybody and they have deliberately included flyovers and elevated roads to ensure that no one is displaced.
