the goan I network
MARGAO
The 79 houses located near Cine Lata, Margao have got a breather as the government has decided not to touch these structures to make way for the Ring Road project considering the “expense” and “inconvenience” involved in removing these houses at the migrant inhabited colony.
Even as the PWD connected the long-delayed ring road to the La Flor area of the city on Monday, one thing has become crystal clear “ that the original plan of the ring road, which was expected to connect the city from the Colva road at Mungul to the Power House at Aquem, running parallel to the railway tracks will not be able to touch the National Highway near the Margao flyover.
Reason: The Advocate general has submitted to the High Court, which was monitoring the progress of the ring road project in the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that the government has now proposed a slight diversion in the ring road route considering the expense and inconvenience involved in removing the 79 houses near Cine Lata coming in the way on the alignment.
The Advocate General’s statement in the High Court implies that the government will not raze down the 79 houses near Cine Lata, but will terminate the ring road near La Flor by linking the road to the main road near Kitty’s corner.
When contacted, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat has said the government and the PWD has taken the right decision considering the fact that it will involve huge expense in rehabilitating the inhabitants near Cine Lata to make way for the ring road.
“Demolition of the 79 houses and rehabilitating the inhabitants would have come at a huge cost. The ring road, which has now been opened near La Flor will be linked to the main road near Kitty’s corner,” he said.
When questioned whether the ambitious ring project will serve any purpose if the same is not linked to the National highway near the Margao flyover, the Margao MLA pointed out that even if the road had to be touched to the National highway at the flyover, the same would not have moved forward given the constructions and the encroachments that have come up around the Gandhi market. He further pointed out that construction of the guest houses by the railways in the railway property at the Old station premises would again block the ring road from touching the stretch, starting from Victor hospital at Malbhat.
