Union Minister for Roads, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari
approved four-laning of four sections of National and State highways, after he
surveyed the works of NH 66, on Tuesday. These include the Navelim-Cuncolim
highway, the Canacona-Polem Highway, the Sanjeevani Factory to Khandepar road
and the Ponda-Bhoma Highway. He announced the hiking of Goa’s Annual Plan to Rs
5000 crore. Gadkari declared that he had decided that there would be no toll
for the new Zuari Bridge and instead, land acquired for toll naka would be
utilized for restaurants, fuel station, amusement park, vending Goan
handicrafts etc. The tender for this project will be floated and foundation
stone will be laid by December 15, he informed.
Stating that the new Zuari bridge would be one of the most iconic
with a revolving restaurant and museum, Gadkari announced that it would be the
third longest cable stayed bridge. The first package of the Zuari bridge will
be inaugurated on December 15, 2021 and the Sada-Varunapuri highway, providing
connectivity to Mormugao port would also be completed by December 10, he added.
Hoping to complete the Mopa
Greenfield Airport by 2022, Nitin Gadkari declared that land acquisition for
the airport was 100% complete. The tenders would be floated and work for the Mopa
link road would be fast tracked and the foundation stone for the project would
be laid by December 15.
Questioned by media, regarding the potholes on the new NH66, which
had led to several accidents, Union Minister Nitin Gadkar said it comes
within the 2 year liability period. It doesn’t mean we will compromise on
quality. “We have not taken anything from the contractor. The contractor will
have to repair it at his own cost. We will not leave anyone. We will
investigate if required,” Gadkari assured.
Asked
about restarting of mining in Goa, Union Minister Gadkari said the matter is in
the Supreme Court. All including late CM Manohar Parrikar, Union Minister
Shripad Naik and incumbent Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had made efforts to
restart mining. The matter is now sub-judice. Neither the State nor Central
govt can do anything, he added
