The Central government has completed the land acquisition process for the final stretch of the four-laning project of National Highway 66 in Canacona taluka, with a fresh notification confirming that 78,541 square metres of land in Loliem now vests with the Centre. The land, spread across 88 parcels, has been acquired for improvement of road curves and establishment of a toll plaza from the Manohar Parrikar Canacona Bypass end near Maxem (Km 602.900) up to the Goa-Karnataka border at Polem (Km 610.900).
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) had last year notified its intent to acquire 83,118 square metres—approximately 8.3 hectares—of land in the area, inviting objections and suggestions under the provisions of the National Highways Act. With no objections received within the stipulated period, the Centre issued the final notification vesting ownership of the land with the government.
The area covers a range of zones, including orchard land, settlement areas, no-development slopes, paddy fields, and khazan land, and falls within the jurisdiction of Loliem village.
The 8-km Maxem–Polem stretch is the last leg of NH66 to be taken up for four-laning in Canacona taluka. This section also includes the proposed toll plaza at the end of the Manohar Parrikar Canacona Bypass, and is part of the Annual Plan for 2023–24. The completion of this segment will mark the final phase of NH66’s expansion through the taluka, which borders Karnataka.
Earlier, the Centre had already acquired land for the four-laning of NH66 from Char-Rasta to Bendurdem via Karmalghat and completed 7.7 km of the Canacona Bypass, which includes three bridges—two major ones over the Talpona and Galgibaga rivers. The latest land acquisition at Loliem would ensure full highway connectivity from the Goa border to southern Karnataka.