As the October 20 deadline for land acquisition for the proposed new Borim bridge approaches, Environment Minister Alexio Sequeira said that the government will implement and follow every direction that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) will issue through its judgment.
“After the land is acquired, the work would be tendered. We will follow all the procedures. In the meanwhile, if NGT judgement comes, the government will have no option but to accept the judgement of the court,” said Sequeira.
Sequeira highlighted that the initial proposal required acquiring approximately 120,000 square meters of land on the Loutolim side. However, this requirement has been reduced to about 70,000 to 75,000 square meters after negotiations and modifications.
He assured that the government is making efforts to minimise land acquisition further, though the exact design and alignment of the bridge are still being finalised.
The Environment Minister also noted that the urgency to complete the land acquisition before the deadline is to ensure that the process does not lapse and to avoid any delays in the project.
Sequeira confirmed that even if the land acquisition is completed by the deadline, the construction of the bridge will not commence immediately.
