Lohia Maidan reverberates with voices for highway diversion

Lohia Maidan reverberates with voices for highway diversion
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, NOV 23
If the historic Lohia Maidan reverberated with voices in favour of the National highway diversion on Monday, Tuesday saw the government drumming up support for the national highway from the SGPDA grounds in the city here.
That’s not all. If NCP MLA Mickky Pacheco on Tuesday joined hands with the National Highway Diversion Action Committee to demand diversion of the highway, Pacheco’s bete noire in the NCP and Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza rallied behind the government in support of the highway project.
Using the platform of the Goa Saras festival which got underway at the SGPDA grounds on Tuesday evening, the government conveyed  a message loud and clear to the people not to get misguided by a few individuals.
Be it Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat, PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao, Panchayat Minister, Babu Azgaonkar or Revenue Minister, Jose Philip D’Souza, they all made a strong case for the highway.
Without taking the name of Mickky Pacheco, Jose Philip in particular made a mention of attempts being made by some persons to defeat his panel in the recently held polls for the Vasco Municipality. “These people have got nothing to do with the Vasco polls”, he said, adding that the motto of the Kamat led government is to do good for the people and the state.
In his address, Babu Azgaonkar said those who are opposing the highway are trying to take political advantage  with an eye in the coming Assembly polls. “This highway is the for the good of Goa. There cannot be any progress without four-lane highway. The vehicular population is increasing with each passing day. The Zuari bridge may collapse any time. Goans should support the highway project”, he said, while criticizing Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar for raising the bogey of commissions every time the government executes any public project.
Both the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and the PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao made a strong case for the highway, saying that the government would finalise the alignment in a transparent manner without causing injustice to the common man.