MARGAO: The Cana-Benaulim panchayat which is pushing for the western bypass passing through their village to be built on stilts gave the example of how the bypass in Navelim has been built on stilts and have questioned why the government is still insisting on building the bypass in Benaulim by filling up the low-lying areas.
In their petition before the High Court, the panchayat gave reasons as to why the use of box culverts, which is the State government’s justification for constructing the bypass via embankments, will be counter-productive and also how the bypass on stilts in Navelim has been an effective solution.
The panchayat informed the court that the government has a proposal to provide a number of box type cross drains in the stretch of the bypass for cross flow of rain water. However, the panchayat pointed out that not only will the plight of the affected people continue, it would worsen and therefore using the culverts would serve no useful purpose as compared to the stilts option that has been the long-standing demand of the locals.
The panchayat reasoned that box type culverts are low in height and thus would not serve the purpose but in fact it would lead to further
problems. The panchayat also attached photographs of the culverts for the court’s consideration.
The panchayat further stated that the Navelim segment of the bypass near Saipem Lake also had similar problems, which was solved by constructing the highway on stilts. Photographs of the road at the Navelim Segment near Saipem Lake built on stilts were also provided.
The panchayat also
referred to the petition that had been filed by Architect Royla Fernandes in the in National Green Tribunal (NGT) in June 2021 and that through the recommendations of the NGT Committee the Government accepted the proposal for Partial Stilts from Seraulim to Mungul.
