The wait is finally is over for the 18.3 km four laneNational Highway 17B. On September 17, the Supreme Court admitted Goagovernment’s additional affidavit and disposed of the matter. In the affidavit,the State government said it will now be completing the highway on its own.
It may be recalled that the project was stuck in the courtsfor over five years when the Digambar Kamat government had sought 13 repeatedadjournments and postponement of High Court proceedings. The State had alsoused legislative privileges to cancel the project.
The government will now take over the construction of thebalance portion of the unfinished Highway from Varunapuri till Sada Junction.
The Special Purpose Vehicle jointly set up by Mormugao PortTrust and National Highways Authority of India, Mormugao Port Road ConstructionLimited (MRPCL) will bear the balance cost of the project while the governmentwill bear the cost to build a 1 km long elevated portion on Baina beachfront.“We will be funding the road construction but will recover the money by puttingup toll stations of our own,” explains MPT Chairman P Mara Pandiyan.
However, the judgment makes no mention of a deadline forcompletion of the highway. “We are disappointed that there is no mention of atime frame for completion in the final order,” confirms Mara Pandiyan. MRPCL isworried that further cost overruns may happen and the project may be stalled onflimsy grounds. The project cost has already gone up from the initial Rs 80crores in 2000 to Rs 215 crores as on date.
Since MRPCL has already spent Rs 80 crores on the project,the balance Rs 135 crores required to complete the project will be handed overto the State government by MRPCL. In addition to that the State will bear thecost for the construction of the elevated portion of the road on Bainabeachfront.
