Team Herald
MARGAO: While the State Highway No 8 has finally been demarcated, it is not in keeping with the 1977 notification only because a rail over bridge has not yet been constructed even after 40 years.
It may be recalled that vide an Official Gazette notification dated February 17, 1977, the government had notified eight State highways and State Highway No 8 was shown as Margao-San Jose de Areal-Chandor-Curchorem.
Confusion over State Highway No 8 came to fore following the Supreme Court order banning sale of alcohol along National and State highways and there were conflicting identities of State Highway No 8 as even the Regional Plan had differences.
The State Highway No 8 is now identified as commencing from old Caro Corner at Martires Dias road going right up to Power House at Aquem. Incidentally, this section of road from Caro Corner to Sterling Apartments is now notified to be only a one way for traffic.
The highway then proceeds to the Power House junction next to the power house and then goes to Mogalli via Davorlim to the Nessai junction. From Nessai junction it takes a detour to Ramnagari and then proceeds to Raitollem and then to Guirdolim and via the existing level crossing to Chandor and finally to Curchorem.
This detour is mandated because the rail over bridge connecting San Jose de Areal to Chandor is not yet constructed even after 40 years since the notification.
Significantly, the State highway now passes through the villages of Davorlim, Curtorim and Guirdolim which were not mentioned in the 1977 highway.
It would be pertinent to note that the government has proposed to construct the rail over bridge between San Jose de Areal and Chandor however the locals from Chandor have demanded that the authorities first provide them with a rail over bridge or under pass at the existing level crossing first.
