THE GOAN NETWORK
PORVORIM
Locals from Ward 5 of Penha de Franca panchayat objected to the compound wall at the new High Court building, claiming that the wall has blocked their traditional access.
The locals, who were led by Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte on Monday, confronted Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) authorities for blocking their traditional pathway, while providing an alternate route which is narrow and non-motorable.
The locals claimed that the compound wall would block traditional access which also serves as a bypass for them to travel to Verem and Betim to avoid traffic congestion at Malim.
They claimed that the construction of compound wall was in violation of condition number 12 laid down in the Technical Clearance Order dated February 28, 2014 and renewed technical clearance order dated January 29, 2020.
They added that the alternate road suggested by GSIDC to connect to Ward 5 is non-motorable and its width is barely 2.5 metres, while the earlier traditional access was 9 metres in width.
The locals claimed that an inspection of the alternate route was done by Khaunte and GSIDC officials in April 2019.
During the inspection, they claimed that GSIDC officials had accepted that the new road of five meters in width with all amenities would be ready first, with an access for two vehicles to pass at the same time.
The locals have now demanded that the Penha de Franca panchayat should direct the GSIDC to construct an alternate route on priority as per RP 2021 with all amenities and should suspend the construction licence it had issued to the project.
They have also demanded that the panchayat should refrain from issuing any occupancy certificate to the project.
“It looks like the action of closing the pathway is intentional and politically motivated. There has been unplanned development, which needs to be stopped,” said Khaunte, while speaking to reporters at the site.
