CENTRE THREATENS TO WITHDRAW GOAs HIGHWAYS WIDENING

PANJIM: A direct threat to the Goa government by the centre, the Central Ministry for Road, Transport and Highways to withdraw the national highway  widening project unless the Goa government hastens to hand over the land to them for the purpose. 

The National Highways Authority of India is to undertake the widening of the NH17 – from Patradevi to Polem and NH4A – from Panjim to Anmod, under the NHDP II project, costing around Rs 2800 crore. The project was promised to the State by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when the latter visited Goa in December 2007.  However, constant delays in handing over the land required for the project by the State has forced the Centre to think on withdrawing the project.

In a stern letter to the State Government Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath has stated that if the State does not provide land by October 31, 2010, then the ministry will have no option to withdraw the NH widening projects.

Sources disclosed that if the Government does not expedite the land acquisition process for the project than the project would be taken up in some other State.  What has irked the Centre is despite awarding tenders for the projects for over six months now, the land acquisition is not yet complete.

Facing protests from various quarters over the demolition of structures for the projects, the State government had appointed a committee to re-survey the alignment carried out by the NHAI consultants Wilbur Smith Associates.

The committee was to submit the report to the Government by August-end but till date the survey is still to be completed.  Officials in the PWD revealed that consistent rains in the past few months were the reason for the delay in resurvey.

Nonetheless, officials said, “the survey is now complete and would now be handed over to the Government in a week’s time.”

“The NHAI officials have met Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who again asked them to see that there was minimum demolition of houses for the project,” officials said.

Attempts to contact the chief minister and PWD minister proved futile as Kamat’s cell phone was out of coverage while Alemao is reportedly sick.  However, Principal Chief Engineer J J S Rego admitted receiving the letter from the Central Government.

“The minister has given us a deadline of completing the process by October 31 and we are confident of achieving the target”, Rego said.  On the completion re-survey, he said it was in the final stages and thereafter would send it to the Central ministry. (HD)