VASCO
PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar on Tuesday launched the work of hotmixing of NH17 (from Verna to Margao) at Toyota Showroom, Keserval- Cortalim (Verna plateau) in the presence of Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha and Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’sa.
Pauskar said that works will be taken up in phases and will be completed within 20 days.
"We have received funds of Rs 150 crore from Union Ministry of Road and Surface Transport to put a hot mix carpet on all existing National Highways with a condition that the contractor has a batch mix plant and though finds were sanctioned four months ago, it took time for the contractor to set up the plant. The works are costing Rs 8.63 crore for the 9 km four-lane roads. The roads that will be hotmixed from Toyota showroom to Nuvem circle, from Collector building to Hospicio Margao and from Margao Railway bridge to Navelim," said Pauskar.
Pauskar said that 4 lanes of the new Zuari Bridge would be ready by May 2021 and 8 lanes would be ready by December 2021.
"We are taking a monthly review meeting with the DBL and while the fabrication works are completely ready, the cable fitting will take some time. All the three packages of the new Zuari Bridge will be ready in phases. The Centre has also given Rs 70 crore sanction for hotmixing of state highways through the central infrastructure reserve funds. The Centre has also sanctioned funds for water supply and sewerage works as well. The union government is giving sanctioned for every project we put before the centre," said Pauskar.
Pauskar said that maintenance of streetlight installed by PWD on Highways would be carried out and that the recent budget had not caused a hike in the material costs for the PWD works.
"As of now bitumen and asphalt are procured from Mumbai and Mangalore and the price is up by Rs 2 lakh per tanker but this is because of international fuel prices," said Pauskar.
Pauskar said that the works on the port connectivity project would also be taken up soon.
"This is a joint venture between PWD Goa, National Highways and MPT and Union Minister has had discussions and meetings with all the three parties and some payment to the contractor is due and we will have another meeting by February end and we will sort out the issue soon and the works will start on the project as well," said Pauskar.
