BELAGAVI
The six-laning work on the Khanapur-Anmod NH4A has been further delayed after Supreme Court postponed the hearing on the stay obtained by environmentalists earlier this year.
The hearing which was scheduled to be held on October 13 has now been postponed to October 29.
It may be recalled that work on the 86-km stretch between Khanapur and Anmod had hit a major roadblock after green activists, Suresh Hebblikar, Joseph Hoover and others had obtained a stay from the High Court citing destruction of vegetation and wildlife in the protected forest areas.
As a result, work has come to a standstill since January last year.
Disappointed over the delay due to postponements by the apex court, locals have urged authorities to get the matter sorted out.
“This is for the fifth time the Supreme Court has postponed the hearing in the matter. Earlier, it was postponed twice in July and twice in August this year. It is high time authorities get clearance from the Supreme Court as locals and commuters are going through a lot of inconveniences. Many youths who visit Goa for business and jobs are suffering as commuting on this route has become a nightmare,” a local told The Goan.
