Residents of Bhoma and Corlim have been opposing the highway road-widening project for over a decade and were able to successfully thwart attempts by successive governments to go ahead with the project on two earlier occasions. Now, with the current government adamant on going ahead with the road-widening project, locals from both villages have vowed to oppose the same tooth and nail, with the Bhoma locals readying themselves to convert the agitation into another anti-Nylon 6,6 movement. At the moment though, the matter is legally being fought in the High Court by locals from Bhoma as well as Corlim.
OLD GOA
Residents of Bhoma have been fighting a long-drawn battle against the highway road expansion project since 2010.
And on two earlier occasions, first in 2010 and then again in 2013, the locals were able to thwart attempts by successive governments to bulldoze through with the project at the cost of their temples, culture, heritage and their houses.
However, 13 years down the line, the Bhoma locals are finding themselves back in the battlefield with the current government hell bent in widening the highway road through the village.
Bhomkars in do-or-die situation
And this time, it is going to be a do-or-die situation for the Bhoma locals as they are fighting against all odds as their objections to the project stand rejected, which has forced the Bhomkars to approach the High Court where the issue is currently fought.
But legal battle apart, the Bhomkars have a strategy up their sleeves to hit the government where it hits the most and that is to plan a State-wide agitation against the government on the issue, just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
And if all their efforts fail to stop the project, then the Bhomkars are planning to sacrifice their lives if the need arises a la Nylon 6,6 agitation.
Speaking exclusively to The Goan, Bhoma local Sanjay Naik who has been spearheading the movement, informed that it was in 2010 when the then Congress government mooted the highway expansion project.
“We opposed the same and during that time, the then opposition leader late Manohar Parrikar supported us and even proposed a bypass road through the industrial estate to save the houses and temples from getting demolished,” Naik stated, while adding that they even enjoyed the support of North Goa MP Shripad Naik.
“The bypass road planned by Parrikar figured in the Regional Plan as well and it is the best option to save our temples, culture, heritage and houses,” Naik added.
In 2012, project revived & dropped
However, he stated that in 2012 when the BJP came to power and later when Laxmikant Parsekar became the CM, the project was sought to be revived by the same BJP which had opposed it when in opposition.
That time, too, the project got sidelined after the PWD informed the High Court in 2016 that the road widening project has been dropped.
In 2022, notification issued for go ahead but kept in backburner
In 2022 though, the issue came back to haunt the Bhoma locals as a notification was published in the newspapers notifying the go ahead of the project which was kept in the backburner.
Since then, the Bhoma locals have been vocal in their opposition to the project organising protest meetings time and again, be it in Bhoma or in the capital city Panaji with the hope that the project would be withdrawn, and a bypass built as envisaged in the Regional Plan.
Political parties like Goa Forward and Revolutionary Goans have extended their support to the Bhoma locals in their opposition to the project, along with various NGOs, activists, historians and others.
Bhomkars seek wider support
The Bhoma locals are now planning to get a wider audience for their agitation and are extending support to other protestors who are fighting against the government on various fronts.
“We are extending our support to other agitations in the State and in return asking for their support to our agitation,” Naik stated, while adding that with the passing days they are getting support from across the State on the issue.
Eye another Nylon 6,6 agitation
But it remains to be seen whether the strategy will be able to force the government on the backfoot and bow down to the wishes of the people. Whatever may be the case, the locals are adamant that they are ready to become martyrs in case the government tries to bulldoze through with the project.
“We will ensure that it will be another Nylon 6,6 if there are any attempts to start work on the project,” said a senior citizen, Suresh Gaude.
“We are at the fag-end of our lives, and we won’t hesitate to sacrifice the same for the sake of our temples, culture, heritage and houses,” Gaude forewarned.
Why hide plan from Sati temple to Kali Mathi, question locals
OLD GOA: Stating that the NH4A road widening project is a single project, the Bhoma locals have been persistently raising query why the layout from Sati Devasthan to Kali Mathi has not been disclosed.
“Why is the PWD hiding the layout of the road widening project in this small stretch and stating that it is a separate phase?” Bhoma local Sanjay Naik questioned, while opining that if they do so, then their hidden agenda will come out in the open and there will be more people joining the agitation.
“If that is not so, then I challenge the PWD to reveal the highway road widening plan from Sati Devasthan to Kali Mathi,” Naik added.
