Team Herald
MARGAO: During a joint inspection of the soon-to-be-opened Western Bypass stretch in Benaulim, authorities were warned that if the remaining work is not completed before the inauguration, a protest would be held at the site.
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The inspection was convened by Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas and attended by members of the Benaulim and Seraulim village panchayats, the contractor, as well as representatives from all the relevant government departments, such as Transport, PWD, Water Resources Department (WRD), and Power.
While this inspection followed a prior meeting held last week, where preliminary discussions had taken place, it focused on assessing the situation on the ground. It was clear that significant work was still needed to be completed.
Local farmers, who were present, raised concerns about access to their fields, specifically regarding ramps, and about the ongoing issue of flooding during the monsoon season.
Questions were raised about the progress of measures that were supposed to be implemented to manage the flow of water during the monsoon, such as constructing a retaining wall near the nullahs and clearing other waterways.
Viegas stated that if Union Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari attends the inauguration, a memorandum would be presented to him, highlighting these issues.
When the authorities explained that funds for additional measures had not been sanctioned in the budget, locals expressed their dismay. They said this would be raised during their protest, as it reflects the government’s lack of concern for the plight of locals and farmers, particularly in light of the recurring floods.
Other issues highlighted included a lack of safety at certain points, such as the absence of aluminium railings at key areas, no streetlights in critical areas, and, more importantly, the absence of signage to guide commuters and prevent accidents. There was also a demand for rumblers to be installed at various potentially accident-prone spots along the bypass stretch, including junctions and underpasses.
The meeting concluded with instructions to record the minutes of the inspection so that these matters could be followed up on.
