Arlem-Raia road land acquisition was haphazard, admits PWD

PWD Minister, Sudin Dhavlikar told the media on the sidelines of the 26th National Road Safety Week at the Don Bosco College of Engineering, Fatorda that the PWD has proposed to acquire three meter sq mts of land on either side of the existing road to develop the road on scientific lines. “We had completed the land acquisition between Borim to Tembi as per the requirement. But land acquisition between Tembi and Raia and Raia to Arlem was done in a haphazard manner and not as per the requirements. This happens when people or the MLA or ministers interfere in such matters,” Dhavalikar said.

Replying to a question, Dhavalikar said that he has now asked the PWD to acquire land admeasuring 3 sq mts on each side of the Arlem-Raia stretch of the four-lane road. 

He pointed out that the PWD has now got a special cell for road as per the Union Ministry’s guidelines. “We now have people working on the roads, who are BE Civil. They have designed the new highway between Old Goa and Panjim. It is a 40 meter wide road with one special lane for two-wheelers, besides provision for public utilities,” he said, adding that the PWD has plans to develop similar roads across the State.