Team Herald
PANJIM: The controversial plan for four-laning the Ponda-Bhoma highway got a push on Monday when Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced that Rs 557 crore had been sanctioned to build the 9.6-km stretch from Ponda to Bhoma of NH-748. This was among several road construction projects he unveiled on Monday.
Over the past year, the project has faced stiff resistance from the residents of Bhoma, who apprehend that temples in the village will get damaged and the village will be divided into two because of the widening work of the highway.
South Goa MP Capt Viriato Fernandes, who was at the forefront of the protests, had requested the Union Minister to put the highway expansion plan on hold and explore the feasibility of a bypass to protect residents’ homes and the historical temples.
Speaking to O Heraldo on Monday evening, Capt Fernandes said, “I will have to see the alignment of the highway route announced by the Union minister. The minister had replied to me stating that he is having the matter looked into for action.”
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao posted on X soon after the announcement. He tagged both Gadkari and the Chief Minister and wrote, “Villagers had several times appealed to protect their religious structures and houses while four-laning of NH-748 from Ponda to Bhoma. Development shouldn’t be done by bulldozing culture, religious programmes, houses and memories people are associated with (sic).”