Highway expansion projects have latched onto India’s tiniest state in a bid to slash travel time, build better road connectivity for trade and transportation, and provide better infrastructure for a rapidly developing nation. While all this sounds hunky-dory, who often bears the brunt of such developmental sprees is the common man himself.
Protests over a host of road projects have been springing up across the length and breadth of the state. In Bhoma, for instance, villagers announced earlier this week that they were ready to die in their fight against an elevated road that threatens to divide their village. Their ire came soon after Union minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced plans for the project at Bhoma. Although Gadkari is believed to have told South Goa Lok Sabha MP Capt Viriato Fernandes that highway expansion in the village would be carried out along the existing alignment to minimize the impact on local structures, the local people said it would not only physically divide the village but would also be a major hurdle in celebrating festivals and religious rituals such as the rathotsav procession.
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Around 23km away, in the quiet village of Loutolim, defiant farmers staged a peaceful demonstration that ultimately prevented officials of the public works department from demarcating their fields for the proposed construction of the new Borim bridge. The farmers said there was an ongoing case in the matter before the National Green Tribunal. They also said that they hadn’t received proper notices from the government even as they remained bent on opposing any efforts by the government towards land acquisition or demarcation for the construction of the new bridge.
In another area in Salcete, Gadkari’s announcement of the NH 66 expansion between Navelim and Cuncolim has incensed villagers of Dandeavaddo in Chinchinim as the Centre virtually bypassed their demand to build a bypass road at Dandeavaddo, and chose to build an elevated corridor instead. They said they fear the detrimental effects it may have on them and their families and opined that a bypass road would be a more community-friendly solution. They have now sought the intervention of the state government and a relook at the stretch’s alignment.
The same proposal, however, has brought smiles to the people of Cuncolim, particularly those in Panzorconi, as it will involve minimal disruption to the homes and lives of residents, who had vehemently opposed the highway passing close to their locality.
Up north, in Porvorim, people have been facing a different problem…rampant tree felling for the elevated corridor project that is expected to do away with the traffic bottlenecks in the state’s pseudo capital once and for all. Recently, concerned citizens and activists held a candle light protest to save a centuries-old banyan tree, which has been synonymous with the once inconspicuous village which is now reeling under a reality boom and has been bitten by the business bug. The banyan tree is expected to be translocated but it remains to be seen if it will be able to survive the ordeal.
As in the case of Bhoma and Chinchinim, activists at Porvorim said a realignment of the elevated corridor would have probably saved not only the banyan tree but a host of other green giants that have been hacked left right and centre along the highway.
These are just a few instances of protests to road works that would probably have been averted if the governments at the Centre and the state would have called for public feedback and allowed people to have their say without the latter fearing backlash or retribution. Unfortunately, projects, however futuristic they may be, are being steamrolled on the people and are therefore meeting with fierce opposition. Yes, the government may ultimately have its way, but if it does, is this a democracy at all?
Goa is on the path of massive development. But it should not come at the cost of massive public disgruntlement and protests, else the development that the government is eyeing may take decades to be realised. It is time a middle path is forged where the government and the people bury their hatchets and plan the future of the state together and as peacefully as possible.
