TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: In a new twist to the Cuncolim NH widening row, Director of Municipal Administration Elvis Gomes on Tuesday said nothing stops the Cuncolim civic body from going ahead with the road widening works opposite the Cuncolim bus stand.
Asked to comment on the Cuncolim Municipal stand that his letter dated January 3 last to the civic body has come in the way of the road widening of the NH opposite the bus stand, Gomes was categorical in saying that his letter has nothing to do with the road widening works. “The letter written by me on behalf of the government was only pertaining to the non-interference by the civic body with regard to the standing crop in the acquired land. Moreover, my letter was written at the time when the crop was standing in the field”, he said.
In fact, the DMA sought to know how the Cuncolim civic body can interpret his letter in such a way as to stop the road widening work. “The civic body is free to give permission to the PWD to take up the road widening work. The civic body need not even taken my permission before the PWD takes up the road widening work”, Gomes asserted.
Incidentally, though the Cuncolim civic body had its special meeting on Tuesday, neither the issue of road widening of the national highway nor the DMA’s letter figured at the meet, informed Cuncolim Municipal Chairperson Landry Mascarenhas.
The DMA’s stand assumes significance and virtually pushes the ball in the court of the Cuncolim civic body to give its NOC to the PWD, National Highway, to take up work on the road widening project estimated to
cost Rs 14.16 lakh.
