CANACONA: A joint inspection by the Captain of Ports Capt. James Braganza and the locals organised by the local MLA Isidore Fernandes, eventually put a brake on the work at the ongoing bridge at Mashem river as proper procedures were not being followed. This has resulted in huge sand silting.

The public representative also raised concern over serious lapses over the construction of the NH-bypass at the stretch between Galgibagh and Ganeabagh. At a joint inspection with PWD officials and the representatives of the contractor M/s Venkata Rao Infra Projects Pvt Ltd, the locals who had gathered in hundreds alleged that there is no supervision by government authorities at the site and the main contractor had sublet the job to sub-contractors whose ultimate aim was to make huge profits. 

The locals took the PWD authorities headed by assistant engineer Laxmikant Naik to task. They pointed out that the houses situated below the raised portion of the road faced imminent danger of water and soil getting washed away from below their houses. Also a stream along the road was blocked by soil and construction material, cement pipes. Social activist Diogo Da Silva pointed out that the blockage led to insufficient flow and this would cause flooding in the area once monsoon knocked in. The stream had further narrowed down following the construction of a wall. Asked for the plans and drawings of the civil works done at the sight, neither the PWD nor the contractors' representatives had any in hand and said the works were being supervised by the consultants appointed by the government authorities.

To make matters worse, there was literally no access to more than 20 houses on the eastern side of the highway at Ganeabagh and they have to cross the highway to reach the service road on the other side. There is an underground bridge to approach this service road which has a height of 3 metres even as the clearance was for 4 metres. Construction material was found strewn all along the site. Sanitation facilities were insufficient for the workforce employed by the contractors. Also watering the mud road was not done properly creating dust pollution.  The water passage between the church junction and river Galgibagh on both the sides were blocked by the contractors. The enraged locals appealed to the local MLA to stop work immediately and ask for a probe by a competent authority to ascertain if the work was up to the mark. 

AE Naik when asked for his views on the irregularities pointed out by the locals said he would submit a report to his higher ups.