He was accompanied by Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar and officials from the concerned departments. The visit follows a major landslide in the area that claimed the life of a worker and raised safety concerns among daily road users.
Speaking to reporters after the inspection, Kamat said the priority was to secure the site and prevent any further incidents.
He said the road widening tender had been awarded before he took charge as PWD Minister and work was already in progress. “At this stage, our focus is to protect the area from further landslides, especially with heavy rains continuing. We have seen steep and extensive hill cutting here, which has increased the risk,” he said.
Kamat added that instructions had already been given to the contractor to construct a retaining wall, but admitted that major construction work during the monsoon could be challenging.
“The contractor has been asked to build a retaining wall immediately. However, large-scale work in this weather may also pose risks to workers. We will hold a meeting on Monday to look at temporary safety measures, including strong protective netting. The hill has been cut almost vertically and terracing should have been done to reduce risk. Our aim now is to protect lives and prevent another tragedy,” he said.
He also clarified that the widening work is being carried out by the National Highways Authority of India and said the local MLA should not be held responsible for the situation.
MLA Sankalp Amonkar welcomed the minister’s visit and said residents have been living in fear since the landslide.
“A major landslide happened here recently and a worker lost his life. People using this road daily are worried about their safety. The minister has inspected the site personally, and I am confident that necessary safety measures will be taken,” he said.
Amonkar added that locals had repeatedly raised concerns about the stability of the hillside due to soft soil conditions. He also said efforts were being made to improve safety on the stretch, including the installation of streetlights.
