MARGAO
Villagers of Benaulim have decided to stage a protest and demand the implementation of the R K Pandey recommendations for a comprehensive drainage plan at the Benaulim-Khareband bridge when Union Minister for Road and Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari visits to commission the Western bypass project.
The residents pointed out that while the PWD, National Highways has completed the western bypass work, the recommendations made by R K Pandey, who was deputed to Goa by none other than Union Minister Gadkari, have been confined to the record books.
This became apparent when a joint inspection was conducted at the Benaulim stretch of the western bypass, attended by Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, Benaulim Sarpanch Glyda Rodrigues, officials of the Transport department, Traffic, PWD, and NH officials, as well as representatives of the contractor, MVR.
The joint inspection was primarily held to put road and traffic safety norms in place ahead of the commissioning of the western bypass.
Measures suggested for implementation include the illumination of the underpasses at the Khareband-Pedda road and the Benaulim-Varca road, as well as the installation of rumblers at all the service roads connecting the village to the western bypass.
The Benaulim MLA told the media after the inspection that the residents would have no option but to stage a protest to draw the attention of the Union Minister to how the Goa government had neglected implementing the recommendations made by his emissary R K Pandey for a comprehensive drainage plan. “We have seen flooding of the roads at Benaulim during the last two monsoons. Since Pandey has made recommendations for a drainage plan to mitigate flooding, the report has not been implemented till date. I had put up a note to the government to implement the measures, but the proposal is stuck in the Finance department,” the MLA said.
