TEAM HERALD
PORVORIM: Various gifts are headed towards Bardez taluka, as BJP’s legislators appear keen to implement various projects ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.
While Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza laid foundation stones for major projects worth Rs 30 crore in his Mapusa constituency, Tourism Minister and Saligao MLA Dilip Parulekar also set in motion various works in his Saligao Constituency.
Aware that the election Code of Conduct (CoC) could derail the chances of initiating projects in their areas, the legislators are eager to beat the CoC deadline and have been pushing for various projects, which could then be used to gain the support of the voters at the time of the Lok Sabha polls.
Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza laid foundation stones for major projects worth Rs 30 crore, which include the beautification of Mapusa town and the remaining portion of the vegetable market.
In his address, D’Souza stated that in the first project, the beautification of the road from Milagres to the Municipal council building will be taken at a cost of Rs 9 crore.
“This work includes widening of roads, street-lighting and construction of footpaths,” he said.
In the second project, the beatification of road from Bodgeswar temple, Hutatma chowk up to Tar bridge will be carried out at a cost of Rs 18 crore and the project includes road widening, hot-mixing of roads, construction of footpaths and electrification, the minister added.
The third project includes the completion of remaining works at the vegetable market at a cost of Rs 3 crore.
“Once these projects are completed, Mapusa town will get a new look. The sewerage work has already been commenced, while a government-appointed consultant is also working on a new bus stand at Mapusa. Once this new bus stand comes into existence, the parking problem will be resolved to a great extent,” said D’Souza.
At another function, Tourism Minister and Saligao MLA Dilip Parulekar stated that the government has decided to upgrade infrastructure in Saligao.
“Apart from the beautification of Saligao junction, roads in various parts of Saligao constituency will be widened and hot-mixed, while culverts will be repaired and the drains will be cleaned,” said Parulekar.
He was speaking at Alto Porvorim after laying the foundation stone for the widening and hot-mixing of roads and construction of drains in Green Valley.
“All 3.6 kms of roads in Green Valley will be widened and hot-mixed at an estimated cost of Rs 2.2 crore,” said the minister.
Admitting that a culvert at Sangolda has gone weak, Parulekar said the culvert will be repaired and widened at a cost of Rs 14.87 lakh.
He also mentioned that the road at Nagoa will be widened and hotmixed, while footpaths on either sides of the roads and the retaining walls on either side of the roads will be constructed at a cost of Rs 38.77 lakh.
“Similarly, a 40-metre long retaining wall will be constructed at Ramnagar, Betim at a cost of Rs 24.27 lakh. In the next phase, the roads in PDA colony will also be hot-mixed,” said Parulekar.
PWD Assistant Engineer John Fernandes, Junior Engineer Namdeo Kerkar, Pilerne Sarpanch Sandeep Bandodker, Sangolda Sarpanch Premanand Kochrekar and panch members were also present on the occasion.
