PORVORIM: On Friday, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral firmly rejected the Opposition’s proposal for constructing the Western Bypass on stilts at Benaulim. The Minister stated that the project must be completed as per the directives from the High Court before December 31, 2023.
In his private member resolution, AAP MLA Venzy Viegas had pointed to incidents on July 5, 2022, and July 5, this year, where the catchment areas at Benaulim and the carrying capacity of River Sal overflowed during high tide and heavy rains. He argued that the study report provided by the WRD incorrectly derived Peak Flood Discharge and Discharge Capacity of the River Sal, warranting the need for a stilted bypass to prevent future flooding in his constituency.
According to Viegas, building the Bypass on stilts is the only viable option to protect the village from flooding in the coming years. He explained that the inadequate flow of water from River Sal to the sea results in water entering the village areas and houses.
However, Minister Cabral asserted that adopting the resolution at present was not feasible, emphasising that the High Court has been closely monitoring the project since 2015, setting a deadline for completion by December 31 this year.
Cabral further noted that, following the National Green Tribunal award, a significant portion (2.75 km) was removed from the original scope of work. The revised scope permitted by the Court reduced the total filled areas to seven hectares from 15 hectares.
The Opposition supported the resolution, with Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai sharing his proposal to construct a 650-metre stretch of the bypass on stilts from Khareband to Varca. While Union Minister Nitin Gadkari initially agreed to the idea and sent an advisor for site inspection, concerns were raised about managing the water flow into the sea with the stilted approach. The resolution was later withdrawn.
