Team Herald
VASCO: After the Loutolim-Cortalim link road wall demolished recently due to bulge in wall due to rain water percolation, the panchayat claims that the suggestions given by the local body and people are being neglected by the concerned authorities.
Former NIO scientist says the recent demolition of the link road wall is due to an unscientific design and faulty engineering practices.
Recently, a huge newly built road wall near Loutolim-Cortalim link road was demolished abruptly, this was shocking to many locals as well as the commuters who travel through Loutolim, Cortalim road.
The locals and the panchayat were unaware as to why the newly built road wall was demolished.
When contacted Sarpanch of Loutolim Panchayat Xavier Fernandes stated that the Loutolim-Cortalim link road project is a Central government project. Initially, the panchayat and civil society members had given suggestions to put pillars instead of cutting trees and hill but government and other stakeholders did not listen to our suggestions and put reinforced earth (RE) walls from both sides and a road was made.
He further mentioned that panchayat had also written letters recently to the contractor, Town and Country Planning Department, Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and other concerned authorities regarding the link road work related problems especially the bulging of RE wall which is dangerous and also about dumping of debris and illegal mud filling in the valley but so far we have not received any reply from the government authorities.
Fernandes further mentioned that as per their observation, the RE wall was in dangerous position and seen bulging due to mud pressure after the rains. There were objections raised by the villagers including village panchayat over the safety of the people.
Dr Antonio Mascarenhas, former NIO scientist, stated that demolishing a completed embankment and levelling mud from a ready to use road represents a massive technical failure. In this case, an unscientific design and faulty engineering practices is obvious. The scattered mud along the ransacked hill slope is bound to flow into the nearby creek and also impact the adjacent productive wetlands. Ultimately, the taxpayer feels cheated.
Another local from Loutolim Joaquim Gracias opined that due to the resentment of the locals, the Chief Minister himself visited the link road project site in recent past and had also expressed fear after he inspected the site that this wall might collapse leading to the disaster.
“The Chief Minister had also directed that the contractor should take necessary precautionary measures. After this, although some steps were taken but it proved to be non-beneficial,” Gracias added.
He said that after noticing the above mentioned issue, the villagers turned angry and along with sarpanch and panchayat members stopped the project work and further demanded that the PWD minister should inspect the work progress of this project and should take necessary steps. After principal engineer PWD, local MLA and other officials visited the site and later they were directed to remove the wall.
When asked the reason for the demolition of the road wall of the link road after it was built, PWD official on the condition of anonymity informed that the road wall had to demolish because the wall was bulging due to the percolation of rain water in the erected wall.
When asked about how much money has been utilised from the government to build this wall and then to abruptly demolish it, the PWD official informed that the contractor has to do their corrections for this work on his own and no government money is wasted on this project.
Further when questioned about what are they going to do about the debris and mud which is being generated from this wall demolition work, the PWD official revealed that the mud and debris will be shifted to some other place soon so it won’t enter the fields. The mud will be also used for filling work. Official also mentioned that the link road will be opened only after the safety audit.
