MARGAO
After a sustained struggle by the villagers coupled with National Green Tribunal’s intervention in forming the 10-member expert panel, work on the western bypass on stilts has commenced on the 980 metre stretch of the balance 2.75 km road bypass stretch between Seraulim and Mungul bridge.
The 980-metre of elevated structure along the wholesale fish market-Mungul railway overbridge stretch would signify two things. One, the construction will avoid filling up of a water body and more importantly, diversion of the River Sal.
The original bypass alignment had contemplated filling up the water body and diverting the river Sal partly to make way for the 11-km bypass, aimed at decongesting the commercial capital and the neighbouring villages of Navelim, Nuvem and Verna.
A senior PWD, NH official told The Goan that pilling work along the 980-metre stretch is going on in full swing. He said the incumbent contractor, who was roped in to execute the balance 2.75 km stretch between Seraulim and Benaulim, will execute the work of the bypass on stilts along the 980-metre stretch.
The 10-member panel of experts constituted by the NGT, following a petition filed by Benaulim villager Royla Fernandes, met on October 5, 2021, and discussed the various alternatives, before coming out with a modified approach, recommending a 0.98 km elevated structure.
The elevated structure has resulted in the project cost escalation, from the estimated cost of Rs 148.41 crore to build the balance 2.75 km bypass on earthen embankments to Rs 218.94 crore, a rise of around Rs 70.53 crore. A member of the 10-member committee constituted by the NGT said the additional cost will help save a water body from being buried and avoid part of the river Sal.
The balance 2.75 km stretch of the western bypass was scheduled to be completed in October 2022. However, with the changes in the scope of the work along the 980-metre stretch, the contractor is believed to have sought two years to complete the balance portion, including the 980 metres on stilts, by October 2024.
The PWD official, however, pointed out that the PWD has forwarded the contractor’s request for two years to complete the work, to the PWD higher-ups for action and decision.
“So far, we have not decided on the deadline for the contractor to complete the work. The PWD higher authorities will take a call,” he added.
Incidentally, the High Court, while giving the nod to the government to build the western bypass on stilts on a stretch spanning 980 metres, had expressed its concern over the delay in the execution of the work and called for completing the project expeditiously.
The High Court had asserted in the order passed in April that the government should also get the contractor to complete the work within schedule and, if necessary, by employing an additional workforce and machinery so that the project is not delayed again.
That’s not all. The High Court had further pointed out that the government should seriously consider the question of replacing the contractor if the existing one expresses the usual difficulties in completing the work.
No idea of WRD report recommending
Benaulim stretch on stilts: PWD official
MARGAO
Asserting that the PWD, National Highway is not aware of the Water Resources Department (WRD) report, recommending the construction of the Benaulim stretch of the bypass on stilts, a senior PWD official has said that the department will go only by the orders of the High Court in respect of the construction.
“As of now, we have no idea what the WRD report has stated on the flooding in Benaulim. The PWD is building the bypass on an elevated structure at a stretch admeasuring 980 metres as per the directions of the High Court,” the official said.
He added: “If the WRD has come out with new findings and if citizens feel that the Benaulim stretch too should be built on stilts, let them go to the High Court since the matter is now under the scanner of the court.”
While ruling out any plan to build the Benaulim stretch of the bypass on stilts, the PWD official said work on the filling of land along the stretch will commence after the rains.
“Work on the filling of land has been temporarily suspended because of the monsoons. The work will resume after the rains subside,” the official said.
He made it categorically clear that there’s no question of building the stretch of stilts unless directions come from the High Court to build the road on an elevated structure.
The official added: “When the 10-member NGT constituted panel gave its recommendations for the construction of the bypass on stilts along the 980-metre stretch, we had placed the report before the High Court. Only after the High Court had given the nod, the government agreed to go by the report,” the official added.
