MARGAO
The PWD, National Highways is believed to have proposed the construction of as many as 17 small bridges/culverts along the 3.5 km stretch of the controversial Western bypass passing along the flood plains of River Sal between Navelim and Seraulim.
Sources in the PWD told The Goan that a report has been submitted to State administration proposing the 17 small bridges as per the instructions issued by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. The Goan understands that the length of the small bridges varies from place to place, with a length of one of the outlets pegged at around 9-10 metres.
PWD officials were put on the job to prepare estimates as well as design the small bridges after the Chief Minister inspected the flood prone low-lying areas of Mungul, Benaulim and Navelim along with the local MLAs, including TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao and Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro.
Sources said the government will formally unveil the plans of the bridges before the people after they get the official sanction. “We have prepared the plans and design of the small bridges along with the estimates. It is now for the government to take a call whether to accept the proposal or modify the recommendation to suit the needs and requirements of the problematic area,” an official remarked.
A PWD official, however, remained tight-lipped when asked whether the 17 small bridges/culverts proposed by the department will help solve the flood problem
along the 3.5 km stretch of the Western bypass when the local residents had been demanding construction of bypass on stilts.
Work on the bypass is presently on hold along the 3.5 km stretch after these local MLAs made it abundantly clear to the Chief Minister that the contractor should not resume work on the controversial stretch without placing the plans and designs of the small bridges before the public.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had proposed small concrete bridges along the flood plains of the River Sal on grounds that construction of the bypass on stilts will increase the cost of the project manifold as against the estimated cost of Rs 202 crore.
While work on the 11 km stretch of the bypass is in full swing along the Nuvem, Navelim and Telaulim stretch, villagers have stopped all work on the controversial 3.5 km stretch passing through Seraulim, Mungul and Benaulim. That people are opposed to the bypass with land filling became evident on Sunday when members of the Navelim gram sabha assembled near the Zaromba
tree near the Salpem lake, vowing to protect the tree from being chopped to make way for the bypass.
