Team Herald
PONDA: Tensions continue to simmer in Bhoma as locals remain firm in their demand for a bypass instead of a flyover under the proposed National Highway (NH) expansion project. Villagers have now issued a stern warning to the administration: if their leader Sanjay Naik is not allowed to participate in discussions with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, no villager will attend the meeting.
The warning comes after PWD NH engineers carried out onsite land demarcation for the flyover at Bhoma, following directions from the Chief Minister. However, villagers have expressed dissatisfaction with the explanations provided by officials and remain unconvinced about the necessity of the proposed land acquisition.
Local resident Putu Gaude stated that Sanjay Naik, who has been at the forefront of the agitation for several years, is best equipped to represent the villagers' concerns. “He has filed petitions, studied the NH expansion documents, and understands the technicalities and is our resource person,” Gaude said.
Villagers alleged that Naik was deliberately excluded from the recent high-level meeting at the Secretariat, where plans for the flyover were presented. “There were calls from the administration instructing us not to bring Sanjay Naik to the discussion,” claimed a resident.
Although CM Sawant has expressed willingness to hold another round of talks, the villagers have made it clear: “No Sanjay Naik, no meeting.”
“If a 25-metre flyover is being proposed, why is such a vast area being acquired? We need answers, and only our leader can raise the right questions. If he’s not included, we will not engage,” said Gaude.
The standoff underscores the growing distrust between locals and authorities over the NH expansion plan, with the villagers demanding full transparency and meaningful participation in the decision-making process.