MARGAO
The four-laning of the two-kilometer long Mungul-Colva road, which was undertaken by the state administration ahead of the BRICS summit at Benaulim in October 2016 still remains incomplete. The Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) is now bracing up to again take up the work after the government in the past had resolved to hand over the road project to the PWD for completion of the two-kilometer stretch.
Inquiries by The Goan revealed that the GSIDC had some time back agreed to complete the road project at a cost of Rs 11 crore, including asphalting and hot-mixing. But even before the GSIDC could begin work on the project, the government thought it fit to hand it over to the PWD.
Sources in the know, however, now say that the government is thinking of doing a re-think on its earlier decision to rope in the PWD and is now contemplating on handing over the project back to the GSIDC.
A GSIDC official said that the agency has no problem in taking up the pending work of the road project, even as he mentioned things will be clear in the next few days. “If the GSIDC is asked to complete work on the four-lane road, we can completed the work by March 2019,” the official said.
The official pointed out that the Rs 11-crore road project, includes illumination with the latest lamps and other development works along the road.
The delay in completing the busy road heading to the world famous Colva beach is inconveniening motorists and has caused hardships to the local residents staying on the stretch. The issue figured prominently at the meeting of the authorities held earlier this week to chalk out arrangements for the annual Fama of Infant Jesus at the Our Lady of Merces Church, Colva, on October 15.
Says Colva Sarpanch, Anthony Mama Fernandes: “The incomplete road will come in the way of the smooth traffic and parking arrangements at Colva on the day of the Fama. In fact, traffic officials have requested the panchayat to take up the issue with the PWD and get the road levelled along the sideways so that the space can be utilized for the purpose of vehicular parking”.
Saying that the incomplete project has thrown up traffic bottlenecks along the two-km stretch, the Colva Sarpanch said the panchayat will write to the PWD to take up the repair work on the stretch falling in Colva village to facilitate the authorities to use it for vehicular parking on the day of the Fama.
During the tenure of outgoing Sarpanch Menino Fernandes, the Colva panchayat had adopted a resolution and forwarded the same to the GSIDC as well as the Collectorto complete the work at the earliest, but in vain.
