TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: During his whirlwind tour of Navelim constituency on November 14 last year ~ the first after taking over the reigns of office ~ Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar visited Davorlim railway crossing with local MLA and Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado in tow to give his stamp of approval for a flyover costing Rs 24 crore.
He announced that the government would acquire the required land to build the approach roads on both sides of the proposed flyover. Nine months down the line, the Chief Minister was back in Navelim earlier this week to review the developmental works, but it has now come to light that process for acquisition of land admeasuring 12,000 sq mts is yet to begin till date.
Konkan Railway officials, who were called for the review meeting, maintained that the responsibility of initiating and expediting the process of land acquisition rests with the PWD. Says KRC Sr Public Relations Manager, Baban Ghatge: “We had submitted all the plans and proposed road alignment to the PWD for the land acquisition. The KR has no role to play in the land acquisition. The moment the land is acquired and the government gives the nod for the flyover, we will build the road over bridge at the Davorlim crossing,” he said.
Incidentally, when Herald contacted PWD Executive Engineer, V S Mardolkar, he said his office had put up the file to the government for administrative and financial sanction. Mardolkar further said that the PWD has proposed acquisition of land for all flyovers proposed by the Konkan Railway at the crossings in Salcete. Sources in the PWD said the department would move for land acquisition of the land in question only after receiving the government’s financial nod.
When contacted, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado said he has taken up the matter with the CM. “I will pursue with the government the question of land acquisition,” he said.
