Pratik Parab
pratik@herald-goa.com
As Goa begins to cheer for the foundation laying of four and six lane works of NH17 and NH4A soon, the State Highway in Fatorda, which was grappling with the problem of the halted widening of the road leading from Arlem Junction to Ravindra Bhavan junction will start now. The road witnessed a horrific accident last week where a youngster died in a collision between his and two other two-wheelers. The PWD Roads division has informed that the Financial Approval has been dispatched.
Goa is presently undergoing extensive road widening and road infrastructure development of all National Highways. These NH 17 and NH4A roads are cris-crossing the state right from Bambolim to the roads up to Navelim, Cuncolim, Canacona, Mashem and ahead. However, the stretch of the State Highway right from Arlem Junction to Ravindra Bhavan Junction had been battling with hindrances in works since 2012. After the land acquisition in 2012 the road works were caught up for estimation which finally happened in 2015-16, but the work halted during the first half of 2016. The Roads Division of the PWD says that the acquisition of the stretch of road was done long back, but given the fact that the work is of over Rs 10 crores the work needed Expenditure Financial Committee Approval and was deferred to this year.
The PWD officials have informed on Tuesday that the Finance Approval of the work was dispatched from the Finance to PWD and from PWD Chief Engineers Office to Roads Division. Several vehicles have been inconvenienced for years due to the disproportionate width of the road. The stretch of road which begins from Arlem Junction leading towards the Ravindra Bhavan Junction has become a problem area for the commuters.
The recent accident had forced the Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai to make a comment on the plight of the travellers of this road. “The collision of three bikes at Fatorda recently underlines the urgent need to have road widening between Arlem to Ravindra Bhavan, which work had been abandoned after commencement, as Fatorda unit of BJP does not want the credit of long overdue road widening work to go to me” he said.
A plea had earlier been filed against the widening of the road on various reasons which was later struck down by court. Now that the work of the road is to begin the commuters can breathe a sigh of relief as the road is going to get safer for travel.
