More meets needed to decide on NH 66 bypass: Filipe Neri Rodrigues

MARGAO: In a presentation on Monday on the alignment of the NH 66 bypass passing through areas of Cuncolim, minister for water resources Filipe Neri Rodrigues said that another high-level meeting would be held to discuss its finer details.

“Send the consultant back to the field and demarcate all the proposed alignments.

Till such time no discussion will take place,” Rodrigues told PWD engineers in the presence of Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias.

What apparently perturbed Rodrigues was that while three alternative routes were proposed by consultant engineers at the presentation, they couldn’t give satisfactory replies on which route faced least resistance from the public. Bypass roads from Sirlim to Balli, Panzarconi to Belatembi, and Uskini bandh to Balli, were the three alternative alignments proposed by the consultants.

“The affected villagers have objections to certain issues and their sentiments need to be respected. The issues need to be addressed by senior officials,” Rodrigues told reporters after the meeting. “As this is a centrally sponsored project, another meeting will be held with the chief engineer, PWD minister, public works secretary and others to ascertain the intention of the central government in finalising the alignment in Goa,” he added.

While Dias favoured the Sirlim-Balli bypass road, he stressed that people will be taken into confidence before finalising the alignment. “Former chief minister Manohar Parrikar had approved this route. But now they are saying the alignment will entail additional expenditure of Rs 100 crore,” Dias said.