VASCO: Union Minister for Roads and Highway Transport Nitin Gadkari on Friday sanctioned Rs 100 crore for rectifying the accident-prone black spots on roads across the State.
He also announced construction of new road work projects worth Rs 10,000 crore, in the annual plan. About 90 per cent land acquisition has been completed for these works which will be started within next six months.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Phase II of new signature Zuari bridge, Gadkari said that the State government had submitted a proposal of Rs 177 crore to rectify these black spots.
He also sanctioned Rs 40 crore for western bypass in lieu of the Rs 450 crore spent by the State to improve the road infrastructure during G20 Summit.
Gadkari further assured the government to approve Rs 100 crore for the State under Central Road Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) and Setu Bandhan Scheme. The Goa government had submitted proposals worth Rs 300 crore under CRIF.
Gadkari said that the viewer gallery and art gallery atop the Zuari bridge will be built in PPP mode by spending Rs 280 crore. Visitors will arrive by boat and go up the gallery by using a capsule lift.
After laying the foundation stone for the Rs 280 crore viewing gallery project and the elevated corridor at Porvorim, he said that the viewing gallery project will bring international fame to the touristic State. He also proposed light and sound show by using the bridge as backdrop showing history of Goa.
Gadkari advised the State government to appoint an international consultant to propose and plan development facilities for tourists along the National Highways which will come up henceforth in the State.
Gadkari also advised the government to convert tourist taxis in the State to green fuel.
The Union Minister requested the Chief Minister and the Forest Minister to pay special attention to clearing of forest and environment related issues related to 69-km Goa to Karnataka border road proposed to be built by spending Rs 5,200 crore and assured them that he would speak on Union Minister for Environment and Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in this regards.
About 212-km National Highway conversion from two-lane to four-lane worth Rs 16,000 crore is underway and 96-km work has been completed, he informed.
In his address, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stated that in last 10 years, the MoRTH had spent over Rs 25,000 crore to improve road infrastructure of the State. He asked Gadkari to speak to the Union Railway Minister for providing rail connectivity to the Mopa international airport.
