PANJIM: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said, Goa needs a master plan and the State government needs to think on priority how to make Goa a water, air and noise free pollution State.
“Due to the rapid construction of infrastructure of crores of rupees in Goa, the number of domestic tourists coming to Goa will increase tremendously in the coming days and hence the government needs to prepare a master plan immediately and improve the public transport system to meet this challenge,” said Gadkari.
He was speaking after inaugurating six-lane link road connecting Mopa airport with a national highway. The six-lane link road from Manohar International Airport in Mopa to national highway has been built at a cost of about Rs 1,200 crore and is about 7 km long.
Gadkari said once again road projects worth crores of rupees were sanctioned for Goa. These include Rs 3,500 crore for the Navelim-Cuncolim-Canacona-Karnataka border bypass, Rs 4,000 crore for the Panaji-Belgaum four-lane highway, Rs 6,000 crore for the Goa Eastern Bypass and Rs 500 crore for the Borim bridge. However, while announcing these projects, Gadkari also hit out at the Goa government over pollution and city planning.
Noting that pollution in Goa must be reduced, Gadkari suggested that the government should improve the public transport system and focus on how more vehicles can be driven using electric or ethanol as fuel. Gadkari also said that considering the increasing number of domestic tourists in Goa, the Goa government needs to identify the needs of these tourists and future challenges and prepare a master plan in time. Gadkari also assured that Rs 22,000 crore in the first phase of Goa’s infrastructure will be completed in the next financial year and another Rs 25,000 crore will be given to Goa.
In NH landslide, action against contractor if found guilty: Gadkari
PANJIM: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that he had taken note of the landslide incident that took place in Naibag-Poroscodem area on the Mumbai-Goa highway and officials have been ordered to conduct an inquiry.
“Investigation will be ordered and if found guilty, action will be initiated against the contractor,” said Gadkari.
“There are some questions of the local farmers regarding the new Borim bridge and the Chief Minister should look into it immediately and resolve them, the Union Minister said.
