MARGAO: Senior advocate Radharao Gracias has warned the State government of potential flooding due to the ongoing expansion of the Western Bypass. Gracias stated that the expansion will affect three constituencies, namely Margao, Fatorda and Benaulim.
He further added that the roads in areas such as Comba, Kharebandh, Seraulim, Mungul, Benaulim and Varca will be inundated during the upcoming monsoon season.
Gracias lamented that while these roads would previously get affected for a short period, they will henceforth be submerged under water for lengthy periods in the coming monsoon, due to the manner in which the highway expansion has been carried out. As a resident of the Majorda-Utorda-Calata village panchayat, Gracias gave an example of his own travel route to Margao and explained how the public at large will get affected once the flooding takes place.
The former MLA launched a tirade against the State government for not being bothered about this issue or how it will affect the locals of these villages and affected areas despite repeated notices. Gracias mocked the government and its legislators, including turncoat MLAs, and questioned if this is the type of development that the BJP talks about, even though it is coming at the cost of the locals of these constituencies.
Gracias’ comments come against the backdrop of concerns expressed by not just locals or opposition MLAs but also environmentalists. They have warned that the filling up of low-lying areas and changing the alignment of the natural flow of water for the bypass work will lead to flooding of the area.
While the bypass stretch is being built on stilts in Mungul and Seraulim and on embankments in Benaulim, locals are unhappy about how the authorities have gone about the said work, and refer to the devastating flooding that occurred in July last year.
