Team Herald
PANJIM: A group of villagers from Agassaim on Tuesday stopped the ongoing highway expansion work claiming that their demands were not taken into consideration before the construction work was started.
As soon as the contractor started work, agitated villagers blocked the way and stopped the work after which the situation turned chaotic and police officials had to be deployed to calm the situation. However, the contractor, acting upon the demands has agreed to stall work until the next gram sabha meeting.
Speaking to Herald, Agassaim resident Triza Fernandes said, “The contractor just started the highway expansion work without taking into consideration the locals and their demands. Soon after they commenced work locals rushed to the spot to stop the work after which the scene became chaotic and police were called and later the situation became calm as the contractor agreed to stall work till the next gram sabha meeting.”
“The workers directly came and started work of road widening next to the new Agassaim bypass without proper permissions. We will give our consent for the work, only when the PWD officials give a correct picture of the expansion plan,” Fernandes said.
Another local resident alleged that the contractor sometimes commences work during the night and neither has any permissions nor the vehicles have proper licences.
Meanwhile, police officials present at the site intervened and asked the contractor to provide detailed plans of the expansion to the villagers and also to address their demands before going ahead with the highway expansion work and to stall work until the next gram sabha meeting.
