PONDA: The new four-lane bridge on NH-4A constructed across Khandepar River at Opa was inaugurated by Minister of State for Road Transport and Highway, Shipping, Chemical and Fertilizer Mansukh L Mandaviya, on Saturday.
On the occasion, Mandaviya said that Goa has the potential to become a world class tourist destination.
“If no infrastructure is provided tourist will not come to Goa. Therefore, the Central Government is providing several crores of rupees for development of infrastructure including roads, aviation, railways,” he said.
Stating that unity in diversity is uniqueness of India which needs to be preserved, he said that for the development of the country, infrastructure is most important. Advanced countries likes America developed this infrastructure in the field of road, rail hundred years ago, he said.
“There is need to eradicate poverty. Nevertheless, infrastructure is also important for the development of the country,” he said.
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi as saying that every year 4 crore vehicles are added in country, he said, “If no infrastructure is created for these vehicles, it will lead to a huge problem for transportation.”
He said that during the past 67 years, only 67 airports were built, but now the Modi-led government has added 33 more.
He said that earlier there were only 450 aircrafts operating in the country, but in the past four years, the aviation companies in country have given order for 1000 aircrafts.
The inaugural function was attended by Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik, PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar, South Goa MP Adv Narendra Savoikar, Savordem MLA Deepak Pauskar, Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma, Principal Chief Engineer Uttam Parsekar, PMC Chairperson Pradeep Naik, Curti Khandepar Sarpanch Satan Fernandes and others.
