PANJIM: A day after the Canacona locals exposed the poor state of the National Highway passing through Margao to Canacona, the Goa government has decided to rope in a new contractor to complete the work.
PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral has however denied claims that the 27-km stretch has potholes after conducting an inspection on Wednesday. “There are no potholes but scaling. The upper concrete slab surface is washed away. They (Canacona locals) are blaming the PWD department but the latter has carried out its work by inviting a bidder through a tender and appointing a contractor,” he said.
The department is likely to blacklist the contractor. Cabral revealed that the contractor has stopped his work after the department’s show-cause notice to him over the poor condition of the highway.
As such, a new short tender within seven days will be issued and the defaulter contractors will be barred from participating in it. “The defaulter NH contractor/s will not be allowed to participate in the bid. Only those which have successfully carried out the work in the past will be allowed. Some parts of the road are in proper state. The work will be taken up,” the minister said replying to a media query on the shortening of duration of the tender. He said that officers should not be blamed for contractor’s refusing to do the work.
On Tuesday, Canacona locals backed by Congress leaders and accompanied by a person with spine injuries showed up in the office of the PWD Chief Engineer. They had gheraoed the PWD Chief demanding hot mixing of the potholed and bumpy road from Margao to Canacona and to take action against the errant contractor.
