PANAJI
Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday stated that his ministry will develop a 5.15 km 6-lane elevated corridor including approaches between Sangolda junction to the Majestic hotel section of NH-66 at a cost of Rs 641.46 crore.
“This project will resolve the traffic congestion in the section of NH-66 leading up to Panaji City and also channel accessibility to the newly commissioned MOPA airport. The project upon completion is expected to give impetus to tourism and industry in the State,” stated Gadkari in a series of tweets.
In response, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant thanked the union minister for sanctioning the 5.15 km long 6-lane elevated corridor at Porvorim.
“This elevated corridor shall strengthen the road infrastructure in the State and bring ease to the commuters,” stated Sawant in a tweet.
In October last year, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral had said the work on the Porvorim elevated corridor (highway on stilts) would be tendered within the next four months and that, the project would take about 4-5 years.
He had appealed to people to bear with inconvenience as there was no option to divert traffic on the highway at Porvorim.
The stretch of highway between the Sangolda-Guirim Junction and O’Coqueiro Circle is one of the busiest routes in the State, especially with traffic proceeding along the Mapusa-Panaji and Saligao-Panaji routes. The huge flow of traffic on the highway in addition to traffic proceeding to the Mall de Goa and other business establishments in Porvorim have often led to traffic jams along the stretch.
The State government initially had plans to widen the highway, but following objections from owners of businesses and houses along the highway at Porvorim, the plan was revised to a highway on stilts.
A number of owners of businesses and houses then approached the Supreme Court but the matter was settled, enabling the State government to go ahead with the project.
In February, Cabral had said the consultant had been asked to revise the plan for the 6-lane elevated corridor, following a request by PWD officials.
Cabral has said the revised plan would then be submitted to the union government for approval.
