MAPUSA
The PWD (National Highway) authorities have maintained that work on the elevated corridor along the Porvorim stretch of NH-66 has already started while the actual work will commence by the end of June.
The contractor Rajendra Singh Bamboo Infra Pvt Ltd (RSBIPL) who has been allotted the work has begun work on fixing utility services and other ancillary works along the 5.14 km stretch where the elevated corridor is coming up.
"The work on the elevated corridor has officially started on April 14, 2024. The contractor has to complete the work by April 14, 2026," a senior official with PWD (NH) said.
"They are yet to submit the drawings and designs. They are confirming the soil investigation. They had done it once through one agency and are confirming it through a second agency," he added.
The elevated corridor, spanning a single row of 85 piers and 87 spans is expected to provide much-needed relief to the heavy vehicular movement along the Porvorim stretch.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is spearheading the project at an estimated cost of Rs 634 crore. The senior official said that ground-level activities are slated to commence by the end of June, with the laying of foundations for the piers.
The construction will proceed in phases with the initial focus directed from Neo-Majestic hotel to the Mall de Goa stretch. This phased approach aims to mitigate disruptions caused by traffic diversion. A technical overview of the project reveals that the foundation width spans 11 metres, with each pre-cast concrete span measuring 50 metres in length.
Of significance, the installation of these segments will occur predominantly during night-time, with the entire existing highway being closed to facilitate safe construction practices. Traffic diversions will be enacted on alternate routes during these periods.
