Margao: When a delegation from Benaulim called on Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari during his visit to Goa to inaugurate the Zuari bridge in December last year, with a plea to build the Benaulim stretch of the western bypass on stilts, Gadkari made the “dekhenge” promise, raising hopes amongst the people that the Centre may consider the long standing demand of the villagers to build the bypass on stilts.
The delegation comprising of MLA Venzy Viegas, Sarpanch Xavier Pereira, former sarpanchas John Barretto and Royla Fernandes called on the Union Minister during his visit to Goa as they made a fervent plea to build the western bypass passing through the village on stilts.
Will Centre assent to Benaulikars demands?
A year down the line and the Union Minister will be back in Goa to inaugurate the second lane of the Zuari bridge on Friday, but the moot question remains unanswered – is there still any hope that the Centre will accede to the demand of Benaulikars to build the bypass on stilts?
Pose this question to former Benaulim sarpanch and the petitioner before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Royla Fernandes on whether there’s still any hope left in getting the bypass on stilts, Royla shot back, “when we met Gadkari, he promised to look (dekhenge) into the demand for stilts. But, Hum Dekh Rahe Hai “we are watching” that the PWD, National Highway is doing the land filling at a brisk pace to raise the earthen embankment. This shows that the Centre is not in favour of building the bypass on stilts”.
Royla said the work on the construction of the western bypass on stilts has been taken up on a war footing post-monsoons, indicating that Gadkari’s promise to look into the demand for stilts has not changed the ground reality.
She added: “The PWD, National Highway is building the bypass on stilts only along the 900 metre stretch from Seraulim to the Mungul railway bridge based on the recommendations of the NGT after I knocked the doors of the Tribunal to building the bypass on stilts.”
Much water has flown down the river Sal over the last one year since the time the Union Minister visited Goa to inaugurate the Zuari Bridge last year.
Benaulikars pin hope on Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
Hopes were raised earlier this year that the Centre might sanction funds to build the Benaulim stretch of the bypass on stilts after Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai took up the matter with the Union Minister. Gadkari deputed an expert R K Pandey to study the flood pattern in Benaulim and the demand raised by Sardesai for construction of the bypass on stilts.
Pandey, however, did not recommend the bypass on stilts, but favoured a comprehensive solution to contain the floods, including desilting of the river Sal and providing additional drainages to drain out rain water from the Tolleabandh water body into the river Sal.
