MARGAO
Asserting that people now tend to accept decisions handed out by the courts than decisions of the politicians, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral has on Friday promised to complete the western bypass project before May 2024.
“Today, court’s decisions are accepted by the people than the decisions of the politicians. The High Court had set December 31, 2023 as the deadline to complete the western bypass in all respects. But, due to certain circumstances, the authorities could not meet the deadline,” the PWD Minister said.
He added: “While all out efforts will be made to complete work on the balance portion of the bypass within the court’s deadline, it may take 2-3 months more to complete the work. Anyway, we intend to complete the project before May 2024.”
Saying that he is personally monitoring the work on the balance stretch of the western bypass, Cabral said work on the balance portion would soon resume on the ground.
The PWD, NH which is executing the western bypass project had stopped land filling at the Tolleaband water body, Benaulim during the monsoons.
PWD officials in private say the contractor would soon mobilise men and machinery to take the land filling in the water body to its logical conclusion to raise an embankment to pave way for the bypass.
Benaulim villagers have been waging a sustained battle with a one-point demand to build the bypass passing through the low-lying and flood plains of the village on stilts. While declining to accept the demand, the PWD Minister, however, had increased the number of water culverts along the bypass stretch passing through the Tolleaband water body.
