MARGAO
Apprehensive of what lies in store for the residents in the future with the PWD, National Highway opting for a flyover at the contested Dandeavaddo stretch, residents of Chinchinim on Thursday called for the construction of a road bypass instead of a flyover to meet the future traffic requirements.
The residents pointed out that a 2.5 km Dandeavaddo road bypass would suffice to take care of the future requirements on the National Highway passing through Chinchinim village, saying the road bypass would be cost-effective compared to the flyover.
They further pointed out that the flyover would not resolve their problems since land along the existing highway, 40 metres on either side of the Highway, is notified as a no-development zone.
PWD, NH officials Executive Engineer, Dattaprasad Kamat led a team of engineers to Dandeavaddo on Thursday evening as they were deputed to the site by PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral after a meeting with Velim MLA Cruz Silva. Residents of Dandeavaddo along with Chinchinim Sarpanch Valentino Barretto conveyed their sentiments to the senior PWD officials about how a road bypass instead of a flyover would benefit the local populace as well as the government in terms of cost effectivity.
The PWD officials explained to the people that the central government has sanctioned the development of the Navelim-Cuncolim stretch of the National Highway into a four-lane road, adding that a flyover would be built at Dandeavddo as part of the project. The officials pointed out that the road bypass from Sirlim to the Balli Primary Health Centre has not been considered by the Centre, pointing out that the Centre has settled for the development of the four-lane road along the existing highway.
Chinchinim Sarpanch Valentino Barretto told the PWD officials that the residents of Dandevaddo are only asking for a road bypass spanning 2.5 km, as they requested the officials not to club Dandeavaddo to the Cuncolim bypass issue.
He pointed out that construction of a road bypass after land acquisition would be cost-effective instead of building a concrete flyover along the Dandeavaddo stretch. Pointing out that land for the highway expansion was acquired in 1985 for a two-lane road, Valentino said the PWD today is planning a four-lane road on the acquired land, wondering whether the government would acquire more land in the future to build six-lane highway.
