MARGAO
Agitated residents of Dandeavaddo-Cinchinim on Friday confronted Public Works Department (PWD) officials, demanding an immediate halt to the ongoing NH66 four-laning work after drilling for pile testing allegedly caused cracks in several houses.
The residents demanded that no further work resume until the government holds a joint meeting with locals and conducts a PowerPoint presentation explaining the proposed highway expansion and its alignment through Dandeavaddo.
Opposing construction of the highway on stilts, residents reiterated their demand for a road bypass, claiming it would protect their homes and ancestral properties, some of which are around 100 years old.
Residents, along with Velim MLA Cruz Silva, Chinchinim Sarpanch Gerson Gomes and former sarpanch Valentino Barretto, confronted PWD officials who visited the area to assess the situation.
Silva urged officials not to undertake further work without a meeting involving residents, government representatives and the PWD Minister. He said the meeting should clarify the project’s alignment and address concerns over noise pollution and damage to properties.
Silva said residents had been seeking a joint meeting for the past eight months but had received no response from the PWD Minister or other authorities. He alleged that drilling and construction activity had caused cracks in century-old houses and that late-night work was disrupting residents’ daily lives.
Former sarpanch Valentino Barretto said the government was “bulldozing” ahead with the stilt project despite an alternative proposal. He said the local Comunidade had already issued an NOC for construction of a bypass and claimed the alternative could reduce the project’s overall cost.
Chinchinim Sarpanch Gerson Gomes said the government was proceeding despite local opposition.
“The vibrations caused by the drilling work have left houses damaged. The government never took the locals into confidence before taking up the highway expansion project,” Gomes said.
