MARGAO: Against the backdrop of concerns raised about the alignment of the Cuncolim bypass road, the State Public Works Department (PWD) has forwarded a Rs 405 crore proposal
for land acquisition concerning the controversial Cuncolim bypass to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) for approval.
Additionally, the PWD has submitted a proposal for the approval of four-laning the final stretch on the southern side of the highway in Canacona. This project, spanning from the conclusion of the Canacona bypass in Mashem to the check post at Pollem, is estimated to cost Rs 50 crore.
In the other matter, the proposed Cuncolim bypass is slated to stretch from Uskinibandh to Bendordem, aiming to alleviate the rising traffic on National Highway (NH)-66 that currently leads to increased vehicle speed through Cuncolim’s village roads.
According to the authorities, the road near Uskinibandh has become accident-prone, witnessing several fatal incidents rencently along the Uskinibandh-Panzorconi stretch.
It may be recalled that previously, the PWD had secured only a portion of the required land for the Panzorconi section of the bypass, leaving the remaining land acquisition pending for the Cuncolim bypass alignment extending from Uskinibandh to the Balli Primary Health Centre (PHC). The state’s budget had also allocated funds, amounting to Rs 361.9 crore, for the four-laning of the existing Navelim to Cuncolim section.
It may be recalled that since then concerns had been raised by locals from Cuncolim as well as Quepem, who have been repeatedly urging the state government to reveal the exact proposed alignment before initiating any construction work. The residents from the affected areas had also accompanied their respective MLAs, Cuncolim MLA Yuri Alemao and Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa, during a meeting that was held with PWD officials where the discussions centred around proposed expansion of the NH-66 bypass route in Cuncolim.
Following the meeting, PWD officials were urged to promptly conduct a site inspection, to help the residents gain a clearer understanding of the precise route of the bypass. Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao had stressed that alternate routes had been proposed to the state government, which would prevent the demolition of any houses. Locals had hoped that the authorities concerned would consider the alternate routes.
