MAPUSA
Aldona MLA Glenn Ticlo on Thursday assured to find a way out to provide access to Camarcazana locals to Mapusa town, across the NH66, but a large section of the residents remained unconvinced.
He accepted that in absence of an overbridge or an underpass in the area, the residents had a real and genuine problem to move across the highway.
“We will find a solution. We will work out some way so that people from Camarcazana get easy access across the highway. The state government cannot do it unilaterally. So, along with the engineers we will work a way out and present a proposal to the highway authorities,” Ticlo said.
But he was quick to add that the final decision rested with the Centre and the national highway authority.
“I cannot give a commitment or a timeline. It all depends on the centre and the national highway,” he said.
The Aldona MLA along with the OSD to the chief minister, Commander Prasad Padhye gathered to listen to the views of residents at the Camarcazan intersection.
Local councillor Marlene D’Souza, Mapusa Municipal Council Chairperson Ryan Braganza and councillor Franky Carvalho and others were also present.
On the call of the local councillor, a large number of residents of Camarcazana and surrounding areas had assembled at the Camarcazana-NH junction to express their views.
According to the residents, schools, the main market and even the district hospital was on the other side of the highway and they had to take a detour of almost 3 km to reach these places.
Some others said that they took risks by finding their way through the barriers to moving across on the other side of the NH.
Vice-Chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council and local councillor, Marlene D’Souza said ex-CM late Manohar Parrikar had assured to provide an underpass/over-bridge at the Camarcazana-Preeti International junction for access of the locals but this was permanently blocked by the NH authorities.
“We cannot be denied the facility of an underpass or an overbridge as a lot of our people have sacrificed land for the NH project,” D’Souza said.
She said the Aldona MLA has always reached out to people with genuine grievances and would find a solution to the problem.
Ticlo admitted that residents faced a problem to move to the other side of the highway and therefore needed access across the NH either at the Camarcazana junction or in Peddem.
“We have taken people’s view which will be placed before the CM and then to the Centre. I will make every effort to arrive at a solution,” he said.
Congress leader Amarnath Panjikar and social workers, John Lobo and Tarak Arolkar, were also present and participated in the discussion.
‘Meeting arranged with an eye on civic polls’
Stating that nothing will come out of the consultation with the people, General Secretary of the Camarcasanacho Bundh and social worker, John Lobo said the meeting has been arranged only with an eye on civic elections.
“This is just a farce and just a time-buying tactic with false promises. Time and again when we raised this issue of the access across the NH66, the local councillor put us off saying that it was a central project and nothing could be done. Why has she got up now? Isn’t it because of the municipal elections that are due?” Lobo asked.
He further said that the local councillor was also taking the Aldona MLA for a ride.
“Don’t fool the people. The overbridge was shown in the initial plans and we had broached the subject with the NH authorities concerned. At that time, we received no support from the local councillor,” Lobo lashed out.
Aldona MLA, Glenn Tilco, however, said they had no political agenda but the only aim was to find a solution to the problem of the people.
“We are not taking any political mileage. At least, I have not taken any political mileage neither my councillor,” Ticlo said.
“But there is a genuine problem and we are trying to work on it. It’s never too late, I will work on it. We wanted all the people to come together and people have come on their own,” he added.
