PORVORIM: PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar assured to scrap the ongoing land acquisition process for widening of road stretch from Assonora-Mulgao bridge to Shantadurga High School in Bicholim and added that the govt will consider the proposed by-pass road as notified under RP 2021.
The assurance came after legislators cutting across party lines demanded that the project be scrapped as it will affect nearly 300 structures including houses, religious structures, compound walls, shops, etc. Speaker Rajesh Patnekar also urged Pauskar to scrap the land acquisition in public interest.
This was discussed during the calling attention motion moved by BJP MLA Pravin Zantye, who said that people of Mulgao village in Bicholim taluka are against the proposed project of road widening at a stretch of approximately 7.9 km from Assonora –Mulgao bridge to Shantadurga High School in Bicholim.
He said the existing road width is 7 metres to 15 metres whereas the proposed road width is 25 metres to 30 metres, due to which more than 500 people will be displaced and 50 to 60 houses will be demolished. The MLA pointed out that there is a notified by-pass passing through the village in the RP 2021 and called on the govt to consider the same.
“We will go as per RP 21 plan. We will scrap the road widening project,” Pauskar assured.
GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai stated that during his tenure as TCP Minister, the TCP board had resolved to write to PWD to scrap the land acquisition process. He said accordingly, a letter was written to PWD in June, this year.
Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat and Congress MLA Pratapsingh Rane said the govt should go as per RP 21 which is a notified plan for planning.
