The NH66 passing through Dandeavaddo in Chinchinim.
MARGAO
Beleaguered residents of Dandeavaddo in Chinchinim and the Village Panchayat Chinchinim–Deussa, seemed to have not lost the hope of getting a road bypass on the NH66 instead of a flyover.
With the Union Ministry going ahead with the flyover on the NH66 at Dandeavaddo as part of the plan to expand the National Highway from Navelim to Cuncolim, the panchayat as well as the residents have pinned their hopes on the Goa government headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
Raising their united voice in support of the long-pending demand of the NH-66 Dandeavaddo bypass, the panchayat headed by Sarpanch Frank Viegas, in a recent representation before the Chief Engineer, Regional Office, Belapur, Maharashtra, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, submitted the villagers’ concerns and hardships in view of the government’s plan to build a flyover against the wishes of the local residents.
Sarpanch Frank said: For years, the people of Chinchinim have been living under the shadow of an ever-growing traffic menace. The existing NH-66 alignment has turned the village roads into a corridor of heavy vehicles, bringing with it noise, dust, pollution, and constant danger to schoolchildren, pedestrians, and the elderly. Families living along the stretch have seen their daily peace shattered and their health affected. The community has repeatedly cried out for relief, making the Dandeavaddo bypass their long-standing and rightful demand.”
He said while the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has considered an elevated road as a possible option, the villagers and the panchayat have strongly opposed this plan, fearing its devastating impact on the very heart of Chinchinim. “An elevated road will destroy the character of the village, and continue to expose residents to pollution and safety hazards. Far from being a solution, such a project would deepen the problems the people have endured for decades,” he added.
With this in mind, he said the delegation has urged the Chief Engineer to consider the Dandeavaddo bypass or on stilt as the only real solution that will protect lives, ease congestion and for future planning which will give the people of Chinchinim the relief they have fought for almost a decade.
“The Chief Engineer along with the Executive Engineer have patiently gone through the memorandum which I explained to them and they assured that if the State Government is prepared to take up and recommend the bypass, the Regional Office would be open to examining it and considering the matter for necessary action,” he said.
