Guarantees that Mumbai-Goa distance will be covered within 5 hours
Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari while addressing a public meeting in Sirsaim, Tivim on Tuesday evening. Union Minister of State for Tourism and Ports Shripad Naik and BJP candidate Nilkant Halarnkar were also present.
MAPUSA
The much delayed four-lane Mumbai-Goa highway project will be completed within next one year, said Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, while giving a lowdown about the government’s stress on infra development in Goa.
Gadkari, on Tuesday, also said that with a new fishing harbour coming up in Vasco at a cost of Rs 110 crore, the fish production will increase manifold helping the local fishing community.
“We faced a lot of obstacles while taking up the work of the four-lane Mumbai-Goa highway. So far we have terminated two contractors and a third one has been sidelined. There were cases filed in courts, besides, problems of land acquisition also came up. After resolving all these issues the work on the highway is now going on in full swing and within next one year the Mumbai-Goa four-lane concrete road will be completed,” Gadkari said.
The union minister was addressing a public meeting at Sirsaim in Tivim constituency in the presence of Union Minister of State for Tourism and Ports, Shripad Naik, BJP candidate Nilkant Halarnkar and others.
Continuing, Gadkari said once the four-lane highway is completed the Mumbai to Goa distance will be covered within four and half to five hours.
“It will take just four and half to five hours to travel from Mumbai to Goa on the new highway. This is my guarantee to you,” he said.
The Mumbai-Goa highway widening work has been going on for more than a decade now.
The Bombay High Court on a public petition had also directed the Maharashtra government to complete the Mumbai-Goa highway project on top priority.
According to Gadkari, around Rs 25,000 crore worth road works were sanctioned by his department for Goa.
“Of this Rs 8,000 crore works has been completed, Rs 8000 core is going on and another Rs 8000 crore work will start soon. In the next three years all works will be completed and there will be no highway work remaining in the State,” he said.
He further informed that when he was ports minister, under the Sagarmala project Rs 22,000 crore works was sanctioned for Goa, out of which 10 works have been completed and for 10 other works the tender process was on and for some other DPRs were being prepared.
He also said that when he was the shipping minister he gave Rs 110 crore to build a shipping harbour in Vasco.
“Now, Goa fishermen will be able to move 100 nautical miles into the sea. The fishing production will increase seven times more which will then be exported. Local fishermen will get paid in dollars which help them grow,” Gadkari informed.
He said all this infrastructure work could be completed only because of the BJP government at the Centre and the State.
“Only a BJP government can provide a stable government in the State,” he said and urged the gathering to ignore all the other smaller parties who are in the fray.
Union Minister of State for Tourism and Ports, Shripad Naik, BJP candidate Nilkant Halarnkar and others also spoke.
