4-lane highway with 29 mts by 2016
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 02 April 2013 16:02 IST
Goa would finally have a four-lane national highway by 2016, if the central government gives written approval to the Goa government’s proposal.
The proposal is to share the expenditure on 60:40 basis with Goa sharing the major part of it and restrict it to only 29 metres of width.
“The central authorities have agreed in principle to the proposal made by our chief minister and we have already started the work in this direction”, PWD minister Sudin Dhawalikar told the House today.
While raising the issue in the Assembly today, opposition leader Pratapsing Rane demanded that the work on the six-lane highway be started where there is no opposition and no houses need to be demolished.
Dhawalikar however informed the House that the state is going for a four-lane highway as widening the highway to six lanes with 45 metres of width is becoming difficult at many places.
“This four-lane highway would also have a two-wheeler lane of 2.5 metres on both the sides”, said Dhawalikar.
As a beginning, the state would immediately take up a pilot project of widening the existing highway from Panaji to Old Goa.
“Let people know how the highway would be and how it would benefit all”, he quipped.
This would be followed by another four-lane highway from Mopa to the Pernem highway.
“We are waiting for a permanent NOC from the central authorities”, said Dhawalikar.
Replying to the concern raised by Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, Dhawalikar said only six legal houses and two illegal houses will go on the Guirim-Mandovi bridge stretch.
“We will rehabilitate those losing six houses in Porvorim market”, assured Dhawalikar.
This is much needed. We need to have world class roads in Goa,