A truck which met with an accident near Kankumbi during the recent rains on the Belagavi-Goa road via Chorla.
While confusion prevails over the reconstruction and two-laning of the Belagavi-Goa road via Chorla, there is a small ray of hope as repairs on the dilapidated road is expected to commence soon.
If authorities are to be believed, the repairs on the damaged Karnataka side of the highway are likely to commence after a fortnight, giving much needed relief to the commuters from both the states.
Commuters and villagers en route have been hugely disappointed as nothing has happened since Union Minister for Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari had virtually laid the foundation for the two-laning of this road on February 28.
Commuters were hopeful as Gadkari had promised in presence of mammoth gathering at Belagavi that the two-laning between Peeranwadi to Sanquelim at the cost of Rs 246.78 crore would be completed by 2023.
Hopes of the commuters were kindled further as on May 6 the Karnataka government had issued a gazette notification acquiring 4.9627 (ha) land in the Jamboti-Kankumbi section of the road while the contractor has also set up a hot mix plant near Betane.
Another promise that was made fell flat when Belagavi district in-charge minister Govind Karjol, on October 31 had announced that he himself would start the work on November 14 for the 43 kms Karnataka side of the road.
Not certain of required forest clearances, he had directed the NHAI and forest authorities to gear up for the same only to dash the hopes of the commuters.
People of the region were in for confusion following reports in sections of the media that the NHAI had received the forest clearance,
However, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Belagavi Division, P Harsha Banu said the NHAI had not yet applied in a proper way for obtaining the required forest clearances.
“At present, NHAI can carry the work up to 6.7 metres, but for further widening, an application has to be submitted through the portal after which the clearances can be obtained,” DCF Banu said.
NHAI is yet to also apply through PARIVESH, an appropriate web based portal for getting such clearances,” he added.
It was also understood from the sources that there was big confusion about the DPR that was presented before sanctioning of the road.
According to sources, the DPR said about 11 metres of Right of Width (ROW) was available for the implementation for two-laning, only after which the Union Ministry had sanctioned the same.
However, forest authorities claimed only 6.7 meters was available at present. This is the reason that led to the unwarranted delay
According to Bhuvanesh Kumar, Project Director, NHAI, Dharwad, who has recently taken charge, the authority is still in the process of obtaining forest clearances project director NHAI Dharwad, who will be implementing the road has instilled some ray of hope.
“I have personally made a survey of the road which is hugely damaged. Sensing the plight of the commuters, have moved a special emergency proposal for repairs. Till the actual two-laning work commences, for which we are moving the necessary applications, the repairs would be taken up after a fortnight or so,” Kumar told The Goan.
Commuters and villagers en route have been hugely disappointed as nothing has happened since Union Minister for Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari had virtually laid the foundation for the two-laning of this road on February 28.
Commuters were hopeful as Gadkari had promised in presence of mammoth gathering at Belagavi that the two-laning between Peeranwadi to Sanquelim at the cost of Rs 246.78 crore would be completed by 2023.
Hopes of the commuters were kindled further as on May 6 the Karnataka government had issued a gazette notification acquiring 4.9627 (ha) land in the Jamboti-Kankumbi section of the road while the contractor has also set up a hot mix plant near Betane.
Another promise that was made fell flat when Belagavi district in-charge minister Govind Karjol, on October 31 had announced that he himself would start the work on November 14 for the 43 kms Karnataka side of the road.
Not certain of required forest clearances, he had directed the NHAI and forest authorities to gear up for the same only to dash the hopes of the commuters.
People of the region were in for confusion following reports in sections of the media that the NHAI had received the forest clearance,
However, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Belagavi Division, P Harsha Banu said the NHAI had not yet applied in a proper way for obtaining the required forest clearances.
“At present, NHAI can carry the work up to 6.7 metres, but for further widening, an application has to be submitted through the portal after which the clearances can be obtained,” DCF Banu said.
NHAI is yet to also apply through PARIVESH, an appropriate web based portal for getting such clearances,” he added.
It was also understood from the sources that there was big confusion about the DPR that was presented before sanctioning of the road.
According to sources, the DPR said about 11 metres of Right of Width (ROW) was available for the implementation for two-laning, only after which the Union Ministry had sanctioned the same.
However, forest authorities claimed only 6.7 meters was available at present. This is the reason that led to the unwarranted delay
According to Bhuvanesh Kumar, Project Director, NHAI, Dharwad, who has recently taken charge, the authority is still in the process of obtaining forest clearances project director NHAI Dharwad, who will be implementing the road has instilled some ray of hope.
“I have personally made a survey of the road which is hugely damaged. Sensing the plight of the commuters, have moved a special emergency proposal for repairs. Till the actual two-laning work commences, for which we are moving the necessary applications, the repairs would be taken up after a fortnight or so,” Kumar told The Goan.
