MAPUSA
In what could bring some cheer to people of Mapusa and the surrounding areas, PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar on Monday informed that the government has plans to construct a flyover across the NH66 at Peddem in order to facilitate access to people from Peddem Sports Complex to the North Goa District Hospital (Asilo) in Mapusa.
Pauskar also said that work on all service roads will be completed by February end.
“There was a proposal from the public for a flyover from Peddem Sports complex to the Asilo hospital. We have placed the proposal before the State government. It will be done through State funds or funds obtained from the ministry of road and transport,” Pauskar said.
The PWD minister was speaking to the media at the sidelines of the function to inaugurate the four-lane highway of NH-66 from Patradevi to Karaswada junction.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the project in presence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and MLAs from Bardez “ Nilkant Halarnkar (Tivim), Rohan Khaunte (Porvorim), Glenn Ticlo (Aldona), Joshua D’Souza (Mapusa) and Jayesh Salgaonkar who recently resigned as the MLA of Saligao.
Continuing, Pauskar said the cost to construct the flyover will be around Rs 11 crore.
He said the proposal for a flyover or underpass at the site should have been initiated when the initial plan to build the NH-66 was being drawn but the government will take up the work now in the public interest.
National highway authorities informed that the current ongoing national highway work of around 18 km out of the 25 km stretch from Patradevi to Karaswada junction has been completed.
The PWD minister informed that work on Colvale Bridge will be completed in another five to six months.
He said work on all service roads will also be completed soon as the cumbersome process of land acquisition has been completed and most of the people who lost land in the project have been rehabilitated.
He also assured completion of all the service roads by the end of next month.
Mapusa Chairperson Shubanghi Vaigankar and most of the councillors and PWD officials were also present on the occasion.
Interestingly, Ports Minister and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo was conspicuous in his absence.
