Team Herald
PERNEM: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar reviewed the ongoing work of six-lane National Highway from Patradevi to Colvale on Saturday.
The chief minister was briefed on the status of the project and the reasons for the delay in completing the same on schedule by the contractor, PWD Executive Engineers and other officials.
The officials informed the chief minister that around 20 percent of the project has been completed, while 80 percent of the work is pending due objection to land acquisition and hill cutting.
Ajgaonkar brought to the attention of the chief minister the difficulties faced by villagers along the highway due to the lack of service roads and crossing.
The locals also told the chief minister the ongoing road widening work has been the cause of increasing number of accidents, including fatal ones.
The officials further informed that the Highways Ministry had approved the project with 70 percent available land; however, 30 percent land acquisition is under process and the approved road can be built only after 100 percent land acquisition.
After listening to the updates given by the officials and grievances of the locals, the chief minister ordered the contractor to take up and solve the basic problems such as putting up signages, red lights and fill up potholes.
Sawant also appointed engineer Narayan Mayekar as full time supervisor to get the work done within a week.
