MARGAO
The controversial Navelim-Benaulim bridge project may be a legacy issue for incumbent PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral, but officials in private call for the Minister’s intervention in the matter to take a firm stand vis-Ã -vis building the bridge.
It still remains unclear whether officials have briefed the new PWD Minister on the controversial bridge, which has been a bone of contention between former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao and former fisheries minister Avertano Furtado.
One thing, however, is clear that public money to the tune of Rs five crore have already gone into the bridge construction and the new PWD Minister may be called upon to take a final call whether to take the bridge to the logical conclusion or abandon the project.
If sources are to be believed, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is aware of the ground reality in respect of the project. In fact, officials pointed out that the Chief Minister was caught in the cross fire between Churchill and Avertano and had to do a fine balancing act when the PWD had issued work order for the resumption of work on the bridge.
“The ball lies in the court of PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral to take a call whether to complete work on the bridge by spending Rs four crore or abandon the bridge, where the government has already spent around Rs five crore,” remarked an official.
