MARGAO
In an interesting development, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has said the Union government has zeroed in on the NH66 alignment between Navelim and Cuncolim as per the recommendations of the PWD and the techno-economic feasibility of the alignments.
Commenting on the reply given by the Union Minister Gadkari in the Rajya Sabha on the NH66 alignment, Chinchinim Sarpanch Valentino Barretto said it is clearly evident going by Gadkari’s reply that the Union Ministry did not zero in on the alignment and suggested road bypass at Dandeavaddo and Cuncolim based on recommendations made by the Goa PWD.
“The Goa PWD had always claimed that the final alignment, rejecting the road bypasses at Dandeavaddo-Chinchinim and Cuncolim, was decided by the Union Transport Ministry and not by the local government . Gadkari’s reply in the Rajya Sabha shows that it was the local PWD that had recommended the alignment along the existing stretch of the NH66”, he said, while making a plea to the Goa government and the PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral to do a rethink and build a road bypass at Dandeavaddo instead of a flyover.
In his reply to a question tabled by Rajya Sabha MP Luizinho Faleiro, the Union Minister stated that the State Public Works Department (PWD) of Goa has received representation from village Panchayat/Action Committee appointed by Government of Goa for widening of NH-17/66.
He further stated that the State PWD has submitted three alternative alignments for the stretch from Km. 555.00 to Km. 585,780 (Margao bypass end point to Canacona bypass start point). “Based on the recommendations of PWD and techno-economic feasibility, one of the alignments was approved”, he staed.
He was replying to a question tabled by Faleiro, seeking to know whether the Union Ministry has received representations from Village Panchayat of Chinchinim, Action Committee for widening NH 17/66, Dandevaddo, Chinchinim, Committee appointed by Government of Goa regarding the bypass road at Dandevaddo, Chinchinim, Salcete-Goa between chainage 557.500 to 560.000, seeking details of alternative alignments from chainage of 557.500 to 560,000 for widening of NH17/66 within the jurisdiction of Village Panchayat Chinchinim.
Faleiro had asked whether Government is aware that the existing National Highway is passing through highly congested villages with residential and commercial houses abutting on both sides of the proposed road having five major cross junctions leading to heavy traffic and accidents.
